Patent ID: 8123101

Claim:
An anvil assembly for use with a surgical stapler, the anvil assembly comprising: a tissue contact surface; a plurality of staple pockets formed in the tissue contact surface, each of the plurality of staple pockets defining a longitudinal axis; and each of the plurality of staple pockets including first and second staple forming cups, each of the first and second staple forming cups having an outside portion and an inside portion, the inside portion of the first and second staple forming cups being positioned in close relation to each other on the longitudinal axis of each of the plurality of staple pockets, the outside portion of the first and second staple forming cups being positioned in spaced relation to each other on the longitudinal axis of each of the plurality of staple pockets, each of the first and second staple forming cups being defined by sidewalls and an elongated base surface extending along the longitudinal axis of each of the plurality of staple pockets; wherein the elongated base surface includes a transverse width, and wherein a distance between a longitudinal edge of the elongated base of the first staple forming cup and a longitudinal edge of the first staple forming cup is approximately equal to the transverse width of the elongated base surface.