#$%^&*AU2012201028B220130516.pdf#####METHOD AND SYSTEM TO DETERMINE AN OPTIMAL TISSUE COMPRESSION TIME TO IMPLANT A SURGICAL ELEMENT Abstract A method for determining an optimal compression of tissue (T) to apply a surgical element, the method comprising: measuring an initial tissue thickness (hi); applying a load to the tissue (T); determining a physiological event of the tissue (T) in response to the load applied; measuring the thickness at the event; and modulating a surgical instruction in response to the thickness at the event.