US Patent 8342380 Variable compression surgical fastener apparatus

A surgical fastener applying apparatus includes an anvil section and a cartridge section, where the cartridge section and the anvil section are movable from an unclamped position to a clamped position. The cartridge section has a plurality of retention slots, a plurality of first surgical fasteners and a plurality of second surgical fasteners. The plurality of first surgical fasteners has a first backspan with a first configuration and the plurality of second surgical fasteners has a second backspan with a second different configuration. In addition, when the first configuration applies a first compressive force to tissue and the second configuration applies a second different compressive force to tissue.