Patent ID: 7635073

Claim:
A surgical stapler comprising: a first jaw having a staple cartridge containing a plurality of surgical staples, and having a working surface with a plurality of staple slots formed therein; a second jaw having a staple anvil, such that during the operation of the surgical stapler the staple cartridge and the staple anvil can be approximated relative to one another; a driving member for firing the surgical staples from their staple slots and against the staple anvil; the staple cartridge having a liner, the liner defining a reservoir in communication with a plurality of ducts formed in the working surface of the staple cartridge, the liner having a first position in which the reservoir has a first volume, and a second position in which the reservoir has a second volume, the second volume being less than the first; and a quantity of biocompatible wound closure material disposed in the reservoir and the quantity of biocompatible wound closure material being selected so that the wound closure material is forced from the reservoir through the ducts as the liner moves from the first position to the second position.