A surgical stapling apparatus is provided and includes a cartridge assemblydefining atissue contacting surface and a longitudinally extending elongate slot； ananvil assembly defininga tissue contacting surface and a longitudinally extending elongate slot； asurgical buttressreleasably secured to at least one of the tissue contacting surface of thecartridge assembly andthe tissue contacting surface of the anvil assembly by at least one anchor； acentral knife bladeslidably disposable in the longitudinal extending elongate slot of thecartridge assembly and theanvil assembly； and a knife blade supported in a distal end portion of atleast one of the cartridgeassembly and the anvil assembly, wherein the distal knife blade is actuatableby the central knifeblade upon an actuation of the central knife blade.
