SURGICAL STAPLING INSTRUMENT HAVING AN ELECTROACTIVE POLYMER ACTUATED BUTTRESS DEPLOYMENT MECHANISM A surgical instrument for being endoscopically or laparoscopically inserted to a surgical site for simultaneous stapling and severing of tissue includes electrically actuated deployment of buttress pads held on inner surfaces of upper and lower jaws of a staple applying assembly. Thereby, thick or thin layers may be stapled and severed without improper staple formation nor with nonoptimal deployment of the buttress pads. Electroactive polymer (EAP) actuated latches, an EAP channel, or a rigid channel with an EAP pinch lock reliably hold the buttress pad until deployment is desired with a low force to separate the stapled and severed buttress pad/tissue combination with the respective EAP mechanism activated for deployment.
