A surgical device comprises a tissue compression device (60) having a pair of opposing compression surfaces, a mechanical binary-output electrical switch having open and closed electrical switching states, and a biasing device mechanically coupled to the switch and retaining the switch in one of the switching states until a force at least as great as a force imposed by the biasing device is imparted to the switch. The switch is disposed in line with the tissue compression device (60) to cause a corresponding amount of force that is placed upon compressed tissue disposed between the opposing compression surfaces to be placed upon the switch.
