Patent ID: 8864009

Claim:
A surgical stapler, comprising: a staple cartridge, comprising: a cartridge body comprising a plurality of staple cavities; and a plurality of staples positioned within said staple cavities, wherein said plurality of staples are arranged in a longitudinal row; an anvil assembly, comprising: an anvil frame; and an anvil comprising a positioning surface and at least one staple forming surface, wherein said anvil is movably retained to said anvil frame; and an adjustment member movably positionable intermediate said anvil frame and said anvil, wherein said adjustment member comprises a first step comprising a first height and a second step comprising a second height, wherein said second height is different than said first height, and wherein said adjustment member is movable between a first position and a second position to selectively position one of said first step and said second step intermediate said anvil frame and said positioning surface, wherein said anvil frame comprises a first guide portion, wherein said anvil comprises a second guide portion operably engaged with said first guide portion, and wherein said first guide portion and said second guide portion are configured to permit relative sliding movement between said anvil and said anvil frame; wherein the surgical stapler further comprises a tissue thickness compensator, wherein said tissue thickness compensator is configured to be captured within said staples and assume different compressed heights within different said staples; and wherein said plurality of staples comprises: a first staple configured to capture a first thickness of tissue and a first portion of said tissue thickness compensator, wherein the first portion of said tissue thickness compensator is configured to assume a first height in response to the first thickness of tissue; a second staple configured to capture a second thickness of tissue and a second portion of said tissue thickness compensator, wherein the second portion of said tissue thickness compensator is configured to assume a second height in response to the second thickness of tissue, wherein the second thickness of tissue is different than the first thickness of tissue, wherein the second height of said tissue thickness compensator is different than the first height of said tissue thickness compensator, and whereby variations in tissue thickness can be compensated for by said tissue thickness compensator.