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A medical instrument having a tool assembly attachable to a distal end of the medical instrument is disclosed. The tool assembly includes a pair of opposing tissue engaging surfaces for clamping tissue therebetween. The medical instrument also includes a housing having a fixed handle and a movable h

A medical instrument having a tool assembly attachable to a distal end of the medical instrument is disclosed. The tool assembly includes a pair of opposing tissue engaging surfaces for clamping tissue therebetween. The medical instrument also includes a housing having a fixed handle and a movable handle mounted to the housing and selectively movable relative to the fixed handle from a first position in spaced relation relative to the fixed handle to a second position closer to the fixed handle to actuate the clamping of tissue. The instrument further includes a selectively activatable drive assembly including a power source and a motor which is operatively coupled to the movable handle, wherein upon actuation the motor actuates the pair of opposing tissue engaging surfaces. The drive assembly also includes a controller configured to variably control the rate at which the motor actuates the pair of opposing tissue engaging surfaces in response to the force exerted on the movable handle.

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What is claimed: 1. A medical instrument having a tool assembly attachable to a distal end of the medical instrument, the tool assembly including a pair of opposing tissue engaging surfaces actuated by advancing a drive beam including a coupling member, the medical instrument comprising: a housing

What is claimed: 1. A medical instrument having a tool assembly attachable to a distal end of the medical instrument, the tool assembly including a pair of opposing tissue engaging surfaces actuated by advancing a drive beam including a coupling member, the medical instrument comprising: a housing having a fixed handle; a movable handle mounted to the housing and selectively movable relative to the fixed handle from a first position in spaced relation relative to the fixed handle to a second position closer to the fixed handle, wherein the movable handle engages the coupling member such that the drive beam is advanced when the movable handle is moved from the first position to the second position; and a selectively activatable drive assembly including a power source and a motor which is operatively coupled to the coupling member, wherein upon actuation the motor advances the coupling member, the selectively activatable drive assembly also including a controller configured to variably control the rate at which the motor advances the coupling member in response to the force exerted on the movable handle. 2. A medical instrument according to claim 1, wherein one of the opposing tissue engaging surfaces is an anvil assembly and another of the opposing tissue engaging surfaces is a cartridge assembly including a plurality of surgical fasteners, the pair of opposing tissue engaging surfaces being adapted for deforming a plurality of surgical fasteners to fasten tissue. 3. A medical instrument according to claim 2, wherein the movable handle is operable to initially clamp tissue between the opposing tissue engaging surfaces of the tool assembly when the motor is in an unactuated condition. 4. A medical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the drive assembly further includes a spring which biases the coupling member to maintain the movable handle in the first position. 5. A medical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the drive assembly includes a variable resistor coupled in series with the motor and the power source. 6. A medical instrument according to claim 5, wherein the variable resistor regulates amount of voltage supplied to the motor as a function of the force exerted on the movable handle during movement thereof to the second position. 7. A medical instrument according to claim 5, wherein the variable resistor is selected from the group consisting of a potentiometer and a rheostat. 8. A medical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the drive assembly includes a switch coupled in series with the motor and the power source, wherein the switch is closed by moving the movable handle to the second position. 9. A medical instrument, comprising: a tool assembly attachable to a distal end of the medical instrument, the tool assembly including a pair of opposing tissue engaging surfaces; and a selectively activatable drive assembly including: a motor which is operatively coupled to the tool assembly, wherein upon actuation the motor actuates the pair of opposing tissue engaging surfaces; a controller configured to variably control the rate at which the motor actuates the pair of opposing tissue engaging surfaces; and a sensor configured to transmit signals to the controller, the signals being representative of a force applied to a movable handle such that the rate at which the motor actuates the tissue engaging surfaces is controlled in response to the force exerted on the movable handle. 10. A medical instrument according to claim 9, wherein one of the opposing tissue engaging surfaces is an anvil assembly and another of the opposing tissue engaging surfaces is a cartridge assembly including a plurality of surgical fasteners, the pair of opposing tissue engaging surfaces being adapted for deforming a plurality of surgical fasteners to fasten tissue. 11. A medical instrument according to claim 10, wherein the drive assembly further includes a coupling member operatively coupled to the movable handle and the motor. 12. A medical instrument according to claim 11, wherein the drive assembly further includes a firing shaft coupled to the motor and adapted to deploy and deform the surgical fasteners. 13. A medical instrument according to claim 12, wherein the coupling member advances the firing shaft to actuate the tool assembly to initially clamp tissue between opposing tissue engaging surfaces of the tool assembly. 14. A medical instrument according to claim 9, wherein the drive assembly includes a variable resistor coupled in series with the motor. 15. A medical instrument according to claim 14, wherein the variable resistor regulates amount of voltage supplied to the motor as a function of the force exerted on the movable handle during movement thereof to the second position. 16. A medical instrument according to claim 14, wherein the variable resistor is selected from the group consisting of a potentiometer and a rheostat. 17. A medical instrument according to claim 9, wherein the selectively activatable drive assembly further includes a power source coupled to the motor. 18. A medical instrument according to claim 17, wherein the drive assembly includes a switch coupled in series with the motor and the power source, wherein the switch is closed by moving the movable handle to the second position. 19. A medical instrument according to claim 9, wherein the drive assembly further includes a spring which biases the coupling member to allow for selective actuation of the drive assembly upon application of sufficient force.