A surgical stapling apparatus, comprising: a staple holder configured to hold staples; a plurality of staples contained within said staple holder; and an anvil configured to deform said plurality of staples to a closed state as said plurality of staples are deployed; and wherein one of the plurality of staples comprising: a base including a first end and a second end, wherein said first end configured to frangibly detach from an attachment contained within said staple holder; and two tines (6, 22) extending from said base, wherein a first tine having a free end which extends from said second end of said base and wherein a second tine having a free end extends from a location between said first tine and said first end of said base; wherein both said first tine and said second tine are curved in a direction both outward from said base and toward said first end of said base, such that the free end of the second tine is spaced apart from the first end of the base and such that the free end of the first tine is spaced apart from the first end of the base but positioned longitudinally between the free end of the second tine and the second end of the base, and such that said first tine and said second tine close in the same direction and result in a substantially B-shaped configuration of said staple in said closed state; characterized in that the free end of the second tine is positioned longitudinally at a location substantially the same as the first end of the base. a staple holder configured to hold staples; a plurality of staples contained within said staple holder; and an anvil configured to deform said plurality of staples to a closed state as said plurality of staples are deployed; and wherein one of the plurality of staples comprising: a base including a first end and a second end, wherein said first end configured to frangibly detach from an attachment contained within said staple holder; and two tines (6, 22) extending from said base, wherein a first tine having a free end which extends from said second end of said base and wherein a second tine having a free end extends from a location between said first tine and said first end of said base; a base including a first end and a second end, wherein said first end configured to frangibly detach from an attachment contained within said staple holder; and two tines (6, 22) extending from said base, wherein a first tine having a free end which extends from said second end of said base and wherein a second tine having a free end extends from a location between said first tine and said first end of said base; wherein both said first tine and said second tine are curved in a direction both outward from said base and toward said first end of said base, such that the free end of the second tine is spaced apart from the first end of the base and such that the free end of the first tine is spaced apart from the first end of the base but positioned longitudinally between the free end of the second tine and the second end of the base, and such that said first tine and said second tine close in the same direction and result in a substantially B-shaped configuration of said staple in said closed state; characterized in that the free end of the second tine is positioned longitudinally at a location substantially the same as the first end of the base.