A surgical instrument for treating a tissue of a patient, comprising: (a) a shaft assembly; (b) an end effector extending from the shaft assembly along a jaw centerline, the end effector comprising: (i) a first jaw having an anvil configured to form a plurality of staples pressed against the anvil, and (ii) a second jaw, wherein the first and second jaws are configured to transition between an open configuration and a closed configuration; and (c) a staple cartridge received within the second jaw, the staple cartridge comprising: (i) a deck facing the anvil, wherein the jaw centerline is a centerline of the deck, (ii) a plurality of staple openings (242a, 242b, 242c) formed through the deck, wherein at least one of the staple openings extends obliquely across the jaw centerline, and (iii) a plurality of staples positioned respectively within the plurality of staple openings; characterized in that the end effector, the staple cartridge, and the jaw centerline have a straight portion extending to an arcuate portion, and the at least one staple opening that extends obliquely across the jaw centerline is formed in the arcuate portion of the staple cartridge; wherein the jaw centerline extends longitudinally along a transverse width of the end effector following the straight portion and the arcuate portion. (a) a shaft assembly; (b) an end effector extending from the shaft assembly along a jaw centerline, the end effector comprising: (i) a first jaw having an anvil configured to form a plurality of staples pressed against the anvil, and (ii) a second jaw, wherein the first and second jaws are configured to transition between an open configuration and a closed configuration; and (i) a first jaw having an anvil configured to form a plurality of staples pressed against the anvil, and (ii) a second jaw, wherein the first and second jaws are configured to transition between an open configuration and a closed configuration; and (c) a staple cartridge received within the second jaw, the staple cartridge comprising: (i) a deck facing the anvil, wherein the jaw centerline is a centerline of the deck, (ii) a plurality of staple openings (242a, 242b, 242c) formed through the deck, wherein at least one of the staple openings extends obliquely across the jaw centerline, and (iii) a plurality of staples positioned respectively within the plurality of staple openings; characterized in that the end effector, the staple cartridge, and the jaw centerline have a straight portion extending to an arcuate portion, and the at least one staple opening that extends obliquely across the jaw centerline is formed in the arcuate portion of the staple cartridge; wherein the jaw centerline extends longitudinally along a transverse width of the end effector following the straight portion and the arcuate portion. (i) a deck facing the anvil, wherein the jaw centerline is a centerline of the deck, (ii) a plurality of staple openings (242a, 242b, 242c) formed through the deck, wherein at least one of the staple openings extends obliquely across the jaw centerline, and (iii) a plurality of staples positioned respectively within the plurality of staple openings; characterized in that the end effector, the staple cartridge, and the jaw centerline have a straight portion extending to an arcuate portion, and the at least one staple opening that extends obliquely across the jaw centerline is formed in the arcuate portion of the staple cartridge; wherein the jaw centerline extends longitudinally along a transverse width of the end effector following the straight portion and the arcuate portion.