Surgical stapler having a powered handle

A handle assembly for a surgical stapler, the handle assembly comprising:

• a handle body comprising a stationary handle and a trigger pivotably coupled to the handle body;
• an electric motor disposed within the handle body, the motor comprising an output shaft;
• an actuation shaft slidable within the handle body along a longitudinal axis;
• a motor gear coupled to the output shaft of the motor;
• an auxiliary gear in driven engagement with the motor gear and operatively engaged with the rack;
• a crown gear mounted in the handle in meshed engagement with the motor gear;
• a potentiometer coupled to the crown gear;
• and
• a control system electrically coupled to the trigger, the electric motor, and the potentiometer.

A handle assembly for a surgical stapler, the handle assembly comprising:

• a handle body comprising a stationary handle and a trigger pivotably coupled to the handle body;
• a power system within the handle body;
• an actuation shaft operatively coupled to the power system, the actuation shaft slidable within the handle body along a longitudinal axis;
• and
• an articulation mechanism comprising:
• a manually actuated articulation knob positioned at a proximal end of the handle body and rotatable about the longitudinal axis;
• and
• an articulation adapter positioned at the distal end of the handle body, the articulation adapter operatively coupled to the articulation knob such that rotation of the articulation knob about the longitudinal axis longitudinally slides the articulation adapter.