A surgical fastener applying apparatus including a cartridge supporting section and an anvil supporting section. The cartridge supporting section includes a distal section and a proximal section and the anvil supporting section and cartridge supporting section are configured to clamp tissue therebetween. The anvil supporting section has a distal fastener receiving region, a proximal clamping region and an intermediate region between the fastener receiving region and the clamping region. The proximal clamping region is positioned on a first side of the cartridge supporting section and the fastener receiving region is positioned on a second opposing side of the cartridge supporting section.
