Patent ID: 8083120

Claim:
A surgical cutting and stapling instrument comprising: a handle assembly; an elongate shaft operably coupled to said handle assembly; an elongate channel operably coupled to said elongate shaft and configured to operably support a staple cartridge therein; an anvil movably supported relative to said elongate channel for selective movement between an open position and a closed position wherein tissue is clamped between said anvil and a staple cartridge supported within said elongate channel in response to opening and closing motions applied thereto from the elongate shaft; a plurality of electrical powered light sources in the staple cartridge; and at least one electrical contact supported in said elongate channel and in electrical communication with a source of electrical energy such that when the staple cartridge is operably supported within said elongate channel, said at least one electrical contact electrically interfaces with a corresponding at least one electrical contact in the staple cartridge to transmit electrical power to the plurality of light sources therein and wherein said plurality of electrical powered light sources interface with said anvil to provide a visual indication viewable through a portion of said anvil to indicate a position of tissue clamped between said anvil and the staple cartridge.