Patent ID: 8752264

Claim:
A method for manufacturing an end effector assembly, the method comprising: providing first and second jaw members moveable relative to one another about a pivot between a first, spaced-apart position and a second position closer to one another wherein the first and second jaw members cooperate to grasp tissue therebetween, each of the first and second jaw members including a jaw housing; grasping a gap-setting gauge between the first and second jaw members; depositing a non-solid material into the jaw housings; and solidifying the non-solid material to secure a first sealing surface and a second sealing surface within the first and second jaw members, respectively, thereby setting the first and second jaw members such that in the second position the jaw members cooperate to define a gap distance between the jaw members equivalent to the thickness of the gap-setting gauge such that, when positioning tissue between the jaw members, full approximation of the jaw members is limited to the gap distance.