VARIABLE COMPRESSION SURGICAL FASTENER CARTRIDGE

A surgical fastener cartridge is provided and includes a cartridge body having a tissue contacting surface that includes a plurality of fastener retention slots. A plurality of surgical fasteners is operatively disposed in the plurality of fastener retention slots. A plurality of pushers is operably associated with the plurality of surgical fasteners. Each pusher is configured for ejecting an associated surgical fastener towards a depression in an anvil. An actuation sled is housed within the cartridge body and includes a plurality of cam wedges. The plurality of cam wedges configured to sequentially contact the plurality of pushers such that a surgical fastener that is ejected closer to a cut line produces a greater compression force to stapled tissue than a surgical fastener ejected further from the cut line.