Patent ID: 7556186

Claim:
A surgical stapling device comprising: a handle assembly including an approximation knob and a firing trigger; an elongated body portion extending distally from the handle assembly; a head portion supported on the distal end of the elongated body portion, the head portion including an anvil assembly and a shell assembly having a plurality of staples supported therein, the anvil assembly being movable in relation to the shell assembly between spaced and approximated positions in response to actuation of the approximation knob; an approximation mechanism including the approximation knob, the approximation mechanism being operably connected to the anvil assembly such that actuation of the approximation knob effects movement of the anvil assembly in relation to the shell assembly between the spaced and approximated positions; a trigger lock positioned on the handle assembly and being movable from a locked position to an unlocked position, wherein in its locked position, the trigger lock prevents actuation of the firing trigger; and a lockout mechanism operably associated with the trigger lock and being positioned to obstruct operation of the approximation mechanism to inhibit movement of the anvil assembly from the approximated position to the spaced position when the trigger lock is in the unlocked position.