Patent ID: 8801735

Claim:
A surgical instrument comprising: an elongated shaft defining a central axis, said elongated shaft having a distal end portion configured to operably support a circular staple cartridge therein; a plurality of acquisition members operably supported within said elongated shaft, each said acquisition member having a flexible tissue-piercing distal portion that is radially deployable away from said central axis such that upon application of a deployment motion to said plurality of said acquisition members, said plurality of acquisition members extend simultaneously in a plurality of radial directions relative to an outer perimeter of said elongated shaft; at least one flexible knife member movably supported in said elongated shaft, each said knife member having a distal cutting portion that is axially advanceable out of said distal end portion of said elongated shaft upon application of an axial actuation motion thereto; a rotary actuator operably interfacing with each said knife member such that each said knife member is selectively rotatable about said central axis upon application of a rotary actuation motion to said rotary actuator.