Patent ID: 8770458

Claim:
A surgical instrument comprising: a body portion; a tool assembly supported on a distal end of the body portion, the tool assembly including a cartridge assembly, and an anvil assembly pivotally connected to the cartridge assembly such that the tool assembly is repositionable between an open position and a closed position; and a closure apparatus distally movable through the tool assembly to reposition the tool assembly from the open position to the closed position, the closure apparatus having upper and lower flange portions formed from a first material, and a vertical beam portion interconnecting the upper and lower flange portions, the upper and lower flange portions each including internal and external surfaces extending transversely in relation to the vertical beam portion, the closure apparatus further including an insert formed from a second material different than the first material, 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.