Patent ID: 8523042

Claim:
A cartridge for a surgical apparatus, comprising: a housing including a slot configured to accommodate a blade; a plurality of fasteners configured to be deployed by the housing, a first row of the plurality of fasteners being positioned on a first side of the slot, a second row of the plurality of fasteners being positioned on a second side of the slot; wherein the first row of the plurality of fasteners is the nearest row of fasteners to the slot on the first side of the slot that are deployed by the housing, and the first row of the plurality of fasteners is spaced apart from the slot such that an undamaged tissue margin is formed on a section of tissue during operation of the surgical apparatus; and wherein the housing includes a third row of the plurality of fasteners positioned on the first side of the slot between the first row of the plurality of fasteners and the slot, and wherein the third row of the plurality of fasteners are not deployed by the housing during operation of the surgical apparatus.