A surgical stapler may include a staple holder an anvil movable relative to the staple holder a feeder belt extending into the staple holder staples frangibly affixed to the feeder belt and a buttress belt extending onto a surface of the anvil that is oriented toward the staple holder. A surgical method for treating tissue within a patient may include providing a staple holder, an anvil movable relative to the staple holder, a feeder belt extending into the staple holder, staples frangibly affixed to the feeder belt, and a buttress belt extending onto a surface of the anvil that is oriented toward the staple holder clamping tissue between the anvil and staple holder deploying staples through the clamped tissue and into the buttress belt, where the staples are connected to said buttress belt as a result breaking the deployed staples from the feeder belt and leaving at least a portion of the buttress belt in position against tissue within the patient.
