A tiltable anvil assembly comprising: an anvil head assembly including a housing, a post centrally disposed within the housing, an annular recess positioned about the post, an anvil surface defining a plane ("P") positioned about the annular recess, a backup plate movably supported about the post from a retracted position to an advanced position, and a cutting ring supported on a proximal surface of the backup plate; and a center rod assembly including a center rod defining a longitudinal axis ("L") and a plunger supported by the center rod, the center rod having a proximal portion adapted to releasably couple with a circular stapler, the distal portion of the center rod being pivotably coupled to the post of the anvil head assembly by a pivot member such that the anvil head assembly is movable in relation to the center rod between an operative position and a post-fired tilted position, the plane defined by the anvil surface and the longitudinal axis of the center rod defining an angle β, wherein the angle β is ninety degrees when the anvil head assembly is in the operative position and the angle β is less than thirty degrees when the anvil head assembly is in the post-fired tilted position; wherein the anvil head assembly is movable from the post-fired tilted position to a doughnut removal position in which angle β is between forty-five degrees and ninety degrees; wherein the tiltable anvil assembly further includes a cam latch member supported on the anvil head assembly; wherein the post includes an extension that extends proximally from the post towards the center rod; characterised in that in the operative position, the extension is covered by the cam latch member, and in the post-fired tilted position and the doughnut removal position, the extension extends radially outward of the cam latch member; wherein the center rod assembly includes a biasing member positioned to bias the plunger against the extension of the post to retain the anvil head assembly in the doughnut removal position. an anvil head assembly including a housing, a post centrally disposed within the housing, an annular recess positioned about the post, an anvil surface defining a plane ("P") positioned about the annular recess, a backup plate movably supported about the post from a retracted position to an advanced position, and a cutting ring supported on a proximal surface of the backup plate; and a center rod assembly including a center rod defining a longitudinal axis ("L") and a plunger supported by the center rod, the center rod having a proximal portion adapted to releasably couple with a circular stapler, the distal portion of the center rod being pivotably coupled to the post of the anvil head assembly by a pivot member such that the anvil head assembly is movable in relation to the center rod between an operative position and a post-fired tilted position, the plane defined by the anvil surface and the longitudinal axis of the center rod defining an angle β, wherein the angle β is ninety degrees when the anvil head assembly is in the operative position and the angle β is less than thirty degrees when the anvil head assembly is in the post-fired tilted position; wherein the anvil head assembly is movable from the post-fired tilted position to a doughnut removal position in which angle β is between forty-five degrees and ninety degrees; wherein the tiltable anvil assembly further includes a cam latch member supported on the anvil head assembly; wherein the post includes an extension that extends proximally from the post towards the center rod; characterised in that in the operative position, the extension is covered by the cam latch member, and in the post-fired tilted position and the doughnut removal position, the extension extends radially outward of the cam latch member; wherein the center rod assembly includes a biasing member positioned to bias the plunger against the extension of the post to retain the anvil head assembly in the doughnut removal position.