A surgical fastener applying apparatus (10) including a cartridge supporting section (200) and an anvil supporting section (100). The cartridge supporting section includes a distal section (206) and a proximal section (210) and the anvil supporting section and cartridge supporting section are configured to clamp tissue therebetween. The anvil supporting section has a distal fastener receiving region (102), a proximal clamping region (104) and an intermediate region (106) between the fastener receiving region and the clamping region. The proximal clamping region is positioned on a first side of the cartridge supporting section and the fastener receiving region is positioned on a second opposing side of the cartridge supporting section.