Patent ID: 8800840

Claim:
A surgical stapling apparatus comprising: a shaft defining a first longitudinal axis; and an end effector having a proximal end and a distal end, the end effector including: an anvil having a non-planar working surface with a shaped topography; and a staple cartridge having a non-planar working surface in juxtaposition with the anvil, the non-planar working surface of the staple cartridge defining a second longitudinal axis, the non-planar working surface of the staple cartridge having a shaped topography which is complementary to the shaped topography of the non-planar working surface of the anvil, such that when the anvil and the staple cartridge are approximated with one another with tissue therebetween, a distance measured between the first longitudinal axis and the working surface of the staple cartridge varies from the proximal end of the end effector to the distal end thereof, and cooperation of at least a portion of the non-planar working surface of the anvil with at least a portion of the non-planar working surface of the staple cartridge enhances alignment of the staple cartridge and the anvil.