Surgical instrument with double cartridge and anvil assemblies

1. A surgical instrument for joining tissue, comprising:

an elongated member defining a longitudinal axis, the elongated member having a proximal portion and a distal portion;

an end effector disposed on the elongated member, the end effector including:

a first cartridge assembly being positioned along the elongated member, the first cartridge assembly including at least one first fastener;

a first anvil assembly disposed distally of the first cartridge assembly along the elongated member, wherein the at least one first fastener is deployable from the first cartridge assembly toward the first anvil assembly;

a second anvil assembly disposed distally of the first anvil assembly along the elongated member;

a second cartridge assembly disposed distally of the second anvil assembly along the elongated member, the second cartridge assembly including at least one second fastener, wherein the at least one second fastener is deployable from the second cartridge assembly toward the second anvil assembly; and

a central rod extending between the first cartridge assembly and the second cartridge assembly, the central rod translatable along the longitudinal axis to move the second cartridge assembly in relation to the second anvil assembly between an open position and an approximated position.

2. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the second cartridge assembly includes at least one fastener pusher adapted to move between a distal position and a proximal position to eject the at least one second fastener.

3. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein each of the first anvil assembly and the second anvil assembly is mounted on the central rod for movement in response to movement of the central rod.

4. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the first cartridge assembly further comprises a knife movable between a proximal position and a distal position, and the first anvil assembly includes a weakened portion that is configured to break when the knife moves therethrough.

5. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the at least one first fastener includes a plurality of first fasteners arranged in an annular array and the at least one second fastener includes a plurality of second fasteners arranged in an annular array.

6. An end effector for use with a surgical instrument, comprising:

a first cartridge assembly including at least one first fastener;

a first anvil assembly disposed distally of the first cartridge assembly, wherein the at least one first fastener is deployable from the first cartridge assembly toward the first anvil assembly;

a second anvil assembly disposed distally of the first anvil assembly;

a second cartridge assembly disposed distally of the second anvil, the second cartridge assembly including at least one second fastener, wherein the at least one second fastener is deployable from the second cartridge assembly toward the second anvil assembly; and

a central rod extending between the first cartridge assembly and the second cartridge assembly, the central rod translatable along the longitudinal axis to move the second cartridge assembly in relation to the second anvil assembly between an open position and an approximated position.

7. A method of performing a surgical task, the method comprising:

positioning a first cartridge assembly along a longitudinal axis of an elongated member of a surgical instrument; and

positioning a second cartridge assembly along the longitudinal axis of the elongated member;

positioning at least one anvil assembly between the first cartridge assembly and the second cartridge assembly along the longitudinal axis of the elongated member;

positioning a central rod between the first cartridge assembly and the second cartridge assembly along the longitudinal axis of the elongated member;

translating the central rod to move the second cartridge assembly relative to the at least one anvil assembly between an open position and an approximated position.

8. The method according to claim 7 , further comprising deploying at least one first fastener from the first cartridge assembly toward the at least one anvil assembly.

9. The method according to claim 7 , further comprising deploying at least one second fastener from the second cartridge assembly toward the at least one anvil assembly.

10. The method of claim 7 , further comprising moving the second cartridge assembly along the longitudinal axis of the elongated member toward the first cartridge assembly.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein deploying the at least one second fastener from the second cartridge assembly includes moving at least one second fastener pusher from a distal position toward a proximal position to deploy the at least one second fastener from the second cartridge assembly.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising biasing a cartridge housing of the second cartridge assembly against the at least one second fastener pusher.