Apparatus for applying surgical fasteners.

摘要

A surgical stapling or fastening instrument for applying surgical fasteners to tissue having an adjustable closure mechanism to linearly approximate the distance between the jaw members (20,22) of the instrument. The adjustable closure mechanism consists of a retaining mechanism (32) and a linkage structure (42) which is actuable to linearly urge the jaw members (20,22) towards each other. A coupling arrangement (48,50,52) is also provided which permits firing of the staples or fasteners only when the jaw members (20,22) are approximated a predetermined distance towards each other. <IMAGE>