Patent ID: 7571845

Claim:
A surgical stapling apparatus for enhancing one or more properties of body tissue that is or is to be repaired or joined, the surgical stapling apparatus comprising: a staple anvil positioned on a distal end of the stapling apparatus and having a longitudinal knife track; a staple cartridge positioned adjacent the distal end of the stapling apparatus, the staple cartridge and staple anvil being juxtaposable relative to each other, the staple cartridge including a plurality of surgical staples individually disposed within individual staples slots arranged in at least a pair of adjacent rows in the staple cartridge, and having a longitudinal knife slot extending between the adjacent rows of staple slots; a driving member for firing the surgical staples from the individual staple slots and against the staple anvil; a knife blade structure including a knife blade receivable and axially movable along the rows of staples; and a wound closure material applicator assembly operatively associated with the stapling apparatus, the assembly including: a channel with an orifice, the channel being distinct from and supported on the knife blade structure; and a conduit in fluid communication with the channel, wherein axial movement of the knife blade structure through the knife track and knife slot axially advances the knife blade structure to permit the orifice to dispense wound closure material from the orifice into an area extending between the adjacent rows of staple slots.