Patent ID: 7793813

Claim:
An assembly for disposing an annular structure between adjacent intestinal sections, the assembly comprising: a) an annular surgical stapling device having an anvil assembly and a tubular body portion, the anvil assembly having an anvil member and an anvil shaft, the tubular body portion carrying a plurality of surgical staples in an annular configuration, the tubular body portion having a connection member disposed radially inward of the surgical staples, the anvil shaft of the anvil member including a flange and being attachable to the connection member of the tubular body portion; and b) a hub adapted for support on the anvil shaft to engage the flange of the anvil shaft, the hub including a central sleeve defining a lumen therethrough for selectively receiving the anvil shaft therein, and an annular structure radially extending from the central sleeve, the annular structure including an outer annular disc defining a central opening having a dimension larger than an outer diameter of the central sleeve and a web interconnecting the disc to the central sleeve, wherein the central sleeve comprises at least one resilient finger extending substantially in a longitudinal direction, and wherein, when the hub is supported on the anvil shaft, the at least one resilient finger engages the flange of the anvil shaft to position the annular structure at a location spaced a distance from a tissue contacting surface of each of the anvil assembly and the tubular body portion.