Patent ID: 8342380

Claim:
A surgical fastener applying apparatus comprising: a fastener assembly including an anvil section and a cartridge section, at least one of the cartridge section and the anvil section being movable from an unclamped position to a clamped position to clamp tissue therebetween, the cartridge section having a tissue contacting surface with a plurality of retention slots formed therein, the cartridge section and anvil section defining a longitudinal axis, the plurality of retention slots having an elongate shape and extending transversely with respect to the longitudinal axis; a plurality of first surgical fasteners and a plurality of second surgical fasteners retained within the cartridge section, each surgical fastener disposed within a corresponding retention slot; a plurality of first pushers and a plurality of second pushers positioned within the cartridge section, the first pushers corresponding to the first surgical fasteners and the second pushers corresponding to the second surgical fasteners, at least one of the first pushers and second pushers being arranged to form a recess in a backspan of at least one of the first surgical fasteners and second surgical fasteners; and an actuation member movable through the cartridge section and engagable with the plurality of first pushers and the plurality of second pushers.