A surgical stapling device. The device comprises an elongated body portion (14) extending distally from a handle assembly (12) and a distal head portion (16) including an anvil assembly (30) and a shell assembly. The anvil assembly includes an anvil head assembly (49) and an anvil shaft (48). The shell assembly supports a plurality of staples. The anvil assembly is movable in relation to the shell assembly between spaced and approximated positions. The device further comprises a tissue tensioner assembly (34) including a tissue engaging member slidably positioned along the anvil shaft, an elongated link, and an actuator member (104). The tissue engaging member is positioned at a distal end of the elongated link and the actuator member is positioned at a proximal end of the elongated link. The tissue engaging member includes a locking member positioned for releasably engaging a portion of the anvil shaft to selectively and releasably secure the tissue engaging member at a plurality of fixed axial locations along the anvil shaft.
