Patent ID: 7438718

Claim:
A surgical instrument for anastomosis of first and second blood vessels, comprising: a housing having distal and proximal ends and a horizontal axis and an actuator disposed therebetween, the actuator including: a handle which is moveable from a first position relative to the housing to at least one subsequent position in closer proximity to the housing; and a link assembly mechanically engaged with the handle and being moveable through a firing stroke in response to the movement of the handle from the first position to the at least one subsequent position, the link assembly includes a three bar link assembly at least three links linked together; a disposable loading unit releasably attached to the distal end of the housing in mechanical cooperation with the actuator, the disposable loading unit including a plurality of surgical fasteners which are deformed and released upon movement of the actuator through the firing stroke, wherein the firing stroke of the handle and the link assembly includes: a first stage wherein: the links are each respectively disposed at a first angle relative to the horizontal axis disposed through the housing; the handle is in the first position relative to the housing, and the plurality of surgical fasteners are maintained within the disposable loading unit; an intermediate stage wherein: the links move through a range of motion to a fully-extended and substantially parallel position relative to the horizontal axis, the handle moves to a position in closer proximity to the housing, and the plurality of surgical fasteners deform within the disposable loading unit; and a third, post-firing stage wherein: the links each move through a range of motion to a respective angle relative to the horizontal axis, the handle moves to a position in closest proximity to the housing, and the plurality of surgical fasteners release from engagement within the disposable loading unit.