Patent ID: 8220690

Claim:
A surgical stapling system for stapling tissue, comprising: a first staple, wherein said first staple comprises: a first deformable member comprised of a permanently deformable material; a first base, wherein said first deformable member extends from said first base; and a first crown, wherein said first crown is attached to said first base, wherein said first crown includes a first tissue-contacting surface, and wherein, upon deployment of said first staple, said first deformable member is configured to be permanently deployment to capture tissue intermediate said first deformable member and said first tissue-contacting surface; a second staple, wherein said second staple comprises: a second deformable member comprised of a permanently deformable material; a second base wherein said second deformable member extends from said second base; and a second crown, wherein said second crown is attached to said second base, wherein said second crown includes a second tissue-contacting surface, and wherein, upon deployment, said second deformable member is configured to be permanently deformed to capture tissue intermediate said second deformable member and said second tissue-contracting surface; and a bridge connecting said first crown to said second crown, wherein said bridge, said first crown, and said second crown are comprised of a continuous material which is different than the material of said first deformable member and the material of said second deformable member, and wherein said bridge is configured to be deployed with at least one of said first staple and said second staple when said first and second staple are deployed.