Patent ID: 8746529

Claim:
A system for capturing sensor data from a surgical procedure, the system comprising: a surgical cutting and fastening instrument, wherein the surgical cutting and fastening instrument comprises: a control unit comprising a memory device; a shaft; an end effector connected to the shaft, wherein the end effector comprises: first and second opposing jaw members for clamping tissue therebetween; and a cutting instrument that traverses longitudinally the end effector when actuated; and at least one sensor in communication with the control unit, wherein the memory device stores data from the at least one sensor, and wherein the at least one sensor comprises a cutting instrument position sensor, located in the end effector, that senses a position of the cutting instrument in the end effector; and an external computer device in communication with the control unit of the surgical cutting and fastening instrument via a data link, wherein the external computer device is for downloading data from the memory device of the control unit of the surgical cutting and fastening instrument.