A shaft being, e.g., flexible, that includes an elongated outer sheath, atleast one drive shaft disposed within the outer sheath and a ring non-rotatably mounted on the at least one rotatable drive shaft and at least onelight source mounted within the shaft, such that, upon rotation of the atleast one rotatable drive shaft, the ring alternately blocks and allows lightfrom the light source to be detected. The shaft may also include a moisturesensor disposed within the outer sheath of the shaft and configured to detectmoisture within the outer sheath. The shaft may include couplings that connecta distal end of the outer sheath to a surgical attachment and a proximal endof the outer sheath to a remote power console.
