Patent ID: 8360298

Claim:
A surgical instrument for surgically joining tissue comprising: a handle assembly including a movable handle; an endoscopic portion extending distally from the handle assembly and defining a first longitudinal axis; a pair of jaw members disposed adjacent a distal end of the endoscopic portion and extending generally distally therefrom, each of the jaw members being longitudinally curved with respect to the first longitudinal axis, at least one of the jaw members being movable with respect to the other between an open position and an approximated position for engaging body tissue therebetween, the pair of jaw members including a first jaw member and a second jaw member, the first jaw member including a channel having a longitudinally-extending slot therein; and a drive assembly disposed in mechanical cooperation with the movable handle, wherein the drive assembly is advanced distally through at least a portion of the length of the jaw members in response to at least a partial actuation of the movable handle; the drive assembly having a drive bar with a lower portion that is configured and dimensioned to travel at least partially within the longitudinally-extending slot of the channel, and wherein the lower portion of the drive bar is elongated and substantially flat along a majority of the entire length of the drive bar.