A surgical stapling instrument , comprising: a handle having: a stapler-closing device; a power source powering the stapling instrument; and a microprocessor ; a surgical stapling end effector connected to the handle and having an anvil and a staple cartridge forming a pair of opposing stapling surfaces, at least one of the stapling surfaces operable to move with respect to the other of the stapling surfaces upon actuation of the stapler-closing device to apply a compressive force to tissue therebetween; characterized in that a force switch , which is a mechanical switch, is operable to continuously receive the compressive force applied to the tissue and to exhibit an electrical change when the received compressive force is at least equal to a pre-determined optimal tissue compressive force, the optimal tissue compressive force being pre-determined based upon known characteristics of the compressed tissue, and an electric indication circuit electrically connected to the mechanical force switch and operable to produce a feedback signal indicating occurrence of the electrical change to the microprocessor to form a continuous closed-loop anvil compression feedback control in which the applied compressive force by the stapler-closing device is kept within the pre-determined optimal tissue compressive force throughout a stapling procedure whereby the microprocessor permits stapling of the tissue when a pre-determined time period has elapsed to allow desiccation of the compressed tissue and the pre-determined optimal tissue compressive force is reached based upon the feedback signal from the electric indication circuit, the electric indication circuit further operable to generate a user-visible indicator that the pre-determined optimal tissue compressive force is reached. a stapler-closing device; a power source powering the stapling instrument; and a microprocessor ; a surgical stapling end effector connected to the handle and having an anvil and a staple cartridge forming a pair of opposing stapling surfaces, at least one of the stapling surfaces operable to move with respect to the other of the stapling surfaces upon actuation of the stapler-closing device to apply a compressive force to tissue therebetween; characterized in that a force switch , which is a mechanical switch, is operable to continuously receive the compressive force applied to the tissue and to exhibit an electrical change when the received compressive force is at least equal to a pre-determined optimal tissue compressive force, the optimal tissue compressive force being pre-determined based upon known characteristics of the compressed tissue, and an electric indication circuit electrically connected to the mechanical force switch and operable to produce a feedback signal indicating occurrence of the electrical change to the microprocessor to form a continuous closed-loop anvil compression feedback control in which the applied compressive force by the stapler-closing device is kept within the pre-determined optimal tissue compressive force throughout a stapling procedure whereby the microprocessor permits stapling of the tissue when a pre-determined time period has elapsed to allow desiccation of the compressed tissue and the pre-determined optimal tissue compressive force is reached based upon the feedback signal from the electric indication circuit, the electric indication circuit further operable to generate a user-visible indicator that the pre-determined optimal tissue compressive force is reached. <EOS>