Patent ID: 8231040

Claim:
A surgical fastener applying apparatus comprising: a cartridge body including a tissue contacting surface, the tissue contacting surface including a plurality of fastener retention slots arranged to define a plurality of rows including at least a pair of inner rows and a pair of outer rows; a plurality of surgical fasteners including a backspan, and a discrete member secured to the backspan, the backspan and the discrete member cooperatively defining a backspan height for each surgical fastener, the plurality of surgical fasteners arranged to define a pair of inner rows and a pair of outer rows corresponding to the pairs of inner and outer rows of retention slots, the discrete member of each of the plurality of surgical fasteners disposed in the inner rows having a first height, and the discrete member of each of the plurality of surgical fasteners disposed in the outer rows having a second height, wherein the first height is different than the second height; an anvil having a pair of inner rows and a pair of outer rows of depressions for forming the surgical fasteners; and a plurality of pushers operably associated with the plurality of surgical fasteners, and configured to eject the surgical fasteners toward a respective depression in an anvil for formation thereof such that upon formation, the plurality of surgical fasteners ejected from the inner rows provide a greater compressive force to tissue than the plurality of surgical fasteners ejected from the outer rows.