A surgical instrument comprising an end effector and a closure drive configured to close the end effector is disclosed. The surgical instrument further comprises a stowed lock deployable to hold a closure actuator of the closure drive in a partially-closed position. The surgical instrument further comprises an articulation drive operable to rotate the end effector about an articulation joint when the closure drive is in its partially-closed position.

In one general aspect, various embodiments of the present invention can include a motorized surgical cutting and fastening instrument having a drive shaft, a motor selectively engageable with the drive shaft, and a manual return mechanism configured to operably disengage the motor from the drive shaft and retract the drive shaft. In at least one embodiment, a surgeon, or other operator of the surgical instrument, can utilize the manual return mechanism to retract the drive shaft after it has been advanced, especially when the motor, or a power source supplying the motor, has failed or is otherwise unable to provide a force sufficient to retract the drive shaft.

A surgical instrument comprising a gap setting system is disclosed.

A tool assembly for a surgical stapling instrument includes anvil and cartridge assemblies movable between open and closed positions. The cartridge assembly includes a cartridge body defining a tissue contact surface and rows of staples. The cartridge body defines a first firing channel associated with a first row of staples and a second firing channel associated with a second row of staples. A firing cam is positioned within the first firing channel and translates therethrough during a first axial translation to fire the first row of staples. The first firing cam is biased to move into the second firing channel upon retraction after the first axial translation such that the first firing cam translates through the second firing channel upon a second axial translation to fire the second row of staples.

A surgical fastener applying apparatus includes an end effector assembly having an anvil assembly and a cartridge assembly. The anvil assembly and/or the cartridge assembly is movable relative to the other between open and closed positions. The cartridge assembly is configured to retain a plurality of surgical fasteners therein. A fluid-actuated drive assembly including a distal piston member is configured to oscillate between proximal and distal positions. The distal piston member includes a base and a rack extending distally from the base and slidably disposed within the cartridge assembly. A drive beam is configured for translation through the cartridge assembly to eject the surgical fasteners from the cartridge assembly. A pawl assembly couples the drive beam to the rack such that the drive beam is incrementally advanced along the rack and through the cartridge assembly as the distal piston member oscillates between the proximal position and the distal position.

A surgical end effector is disclosed. The surgical end effector can comprise a shaft and a pair of jaws. The surgical end effector can further comprise a housing and a drive system, which can be positioned within the housing. The drive system can comprise a proximal assembly and a distal assembly, wherein the proximal assembly can be releasably coupled to the distal assembly by a pin.

A fastener cartridge can comprise a support portion, a tissue thickness compensator positioned relative to the support portion, and a plurality of fasteners positioned within the support portion and/or the tissue thickness compensator which can be utilized to fasten tissue. In use, the fastener cartridge can be positioned in a first jaw of a surgical fastening device, wherein a second jaw, or anvil, can be positioned opposite the first jaw. To deploy the fasteners, a staple-deploying member is advanced through the fastener cartridge to move the fasteners toward the anvil. As the fasteners are deployed, the fasteners can capture at least a portion of the tissue thickness compensator therein along with at least a portion of the tissue being fastened.

The present disclosure provides a surgical instrument including an end effector, a drive member movable to effectuate a motion in said end effector, a motor operable to move the drive member to effectuate the motion in the end effector and a bailout assembly operable to perform a mechanical bailout of the surgical instrument in response to a bailout error. The bailout assembly includes a bailout door, a bailout handle accessible through the bailout door. The bailout handle is operable to move the drive member to effectuate a bailout motion in the end effector. A controller includes a memory and a processor coupled to the memory. The processor is configured to detect the bailout error. The processor is programmed to stop the motor in response to the detection of the bailout error.

A surgical fastener applying apparatus for applying fasteners to body tissue. The apparatus includes a cartridge receiving half-section defining an elongated channel member configured to releasably receive a stationary housing of a firing assembly. The stationary housing is dimensioned to releasably receive a single use loading unit therein, and includes a lockout structure that prevents insertion of the single use loading unit into the stationary housing after the stationary housing is mounted to the cartridge receiving half-section.

A surgical stapler is provided having a pair of jaws including a staple containing cartridge and an anvil. Buttress material is releasable affixed to the staple containing cartridge and the anvil. One of the jaws includes a pair of longitudinal projections at a first end of the jaw and configured to frictionally engage corresponding slots in a first end the buttress material. One of the jaws includes a post at a second end of the jaw. The buttress material includes a hole in a second end of the buttress material for receipt of the post.