is also included within the scope of this invention it is understood that some modification of existing stapling instruments may be required to physically accommodate the staples of the present invention but such modification is well within the present skill of surgical instrument manufacturers the staples of the present invention may be constructed in sizes corresponding to the size of conventional metallic staples in an average size staple the central beam may be from about 0 25 to 0 6 cm in length while the l shaped staple leg members and arm extensions are sized proportionately as illustrated for example in fig1 the staples may be fabricated by any suitable plastic forming technique including extrusion and injection molding depending upon staple design and composition of material which may be any of polymeric compositions known to be biocompatible in surgical applications nylon polypropylene polyester and polysulfone are illustrative of materials which may be used to form nonabsorbable staples homopolymers and copolymers of lactide glycolide and p dioxanone are illustrative of materials which may be used to fabricate absorbable staples for internal application other suitable polymeric compositions are known to those familiar with the art and may also be used in accordance with the present invention nonabsorbable staples of for example polypropylene or nylon may be used in internal applications where absorption is not an important factor where such staples are used externally they are easily removed after the wound has sufficiently healed by inserting an appropriate tool under the center beam and forcing the staple legs back to their original position as illustrated in fig1 during such removal the resilient arms of the staple legs twist until the cam followers.