Patent ID: 8033442

Claim:
A surgical stapling device, comprising: a handle assembly; an endoscopic body portion; and a tool assembly, including: an anvil; a staple cartridge assembly including a cartridge having a plurality of surgical staples; and a dynamic clamping member defining a proximal recess, the dynamic clamping member having an upper flange for engaging the anvil and a lower flange for engaging a bearing surface of the cartridge assembly, the anvil and cartridge assembly being movable in relation to each other between spaced and approximated positions, the dynamic clamping member being movable to eject the staples from the cartridge; and a flexible member having a distal end fixedly secured within the proximal recess of the dynamic clamping member, the flexible member being movable distally to advance the dynamic clamping member distally through the staple cartridge.