Patent ID: 7866525

Claim:
A surgical instrument comprising: a handle portion; a body portion extending distally from the handle portion; and a tool assembly supported on a distal end of the body portion, the tool assembly including a cartridge assembly, and an anvil assembly supported adjacent the cartridge assembly, the anvil assembly being movable in relation to the cartridge assembly from an open position to a closed position, the tool assembly further including a closure member having an upper flange portion and a lower flange portion interconnected by a vertical beam portion, the closure member being movable in relation to the tool assembly to maintain a desired tissue gap adjacent the closure member, the upper and lower flange portions each including internal and external surfaces extending transversely in relation to the vertical beam portion, the closure member further including an insert formed from a material having a low coefficient of friction, the insert being positioned within a hole formed in at least one of the upper and lower flange portions and extending between the internal and external surfaces thereof, the insert extending onto at least a portion of the internal surface of at least one of the upper flange portion and the lower flange portion.