A surgical applicator is utilized in forming a purse string suture used to, e.g., close internal anal structure or to narrow a passage for performing transanal dissection to create total mesorectal excision. The surgical applicator includes an actuation assembly and a reload operatively coupled with the actuation assembly. The reload includes a sleeve defining a lumen extending therethrough, a drive rod rotatably supported within the sleeve, a surgical fastener including a coil body portion rotatably supported on the drive rod such that rotation of the drive rod advances the surgical fastener, and a suture extending through the drive rod.
