Patent ID: 8382761

Claim:
A surgical staple, comprising: a first deformable leg member having at least a first portion of a staple backspan extending therefrom, the first leg member deformable from an initial insertion condition extending transversely from the backspan to a deformed condition, a penetrating tip of the first leg member being further from the backspan in the initial condition; and a second deformable leg member having at least a second portion of the staple backspan extending therefrom, the second leg member deformable from an initial insertion condition extending transversely from the backspan to a deformed condition, a penetrating tip of the second leg member being further from the backspan in the initial condition; wherein the first portion of the staple backspan includes a first retaining structure having a first opening configured to receive the second portion of the staple backspan therethrough and the second portion of the staple backspan includes a second retaining structure having a second opening configured to receive the first portion of the staple backspan therethrough such that at least one of the first and second portions of the staple backspan are movable with respect to the other portion to vary a length of the staple backspan, wherein the first and second retaining structures are interconnected to each other such that subsequent to the first and second portions of the staple backspan being received within the second and first openings of the second and the first retaining structures, the first and second deformable leg members are movable away from one another in response to movement of tissue, wherein translation of the first and second deformable leg members away from one another is restricted as a result of contact between the first and second retaining structures.