Surgical cutting and fastening instruments with separate and distinct fastener deployment and tissue cutting systems

摘要

A surgical instrument capable for use with an end effector supporting a staple cartridge therein. In various embodiments, the surgical instrument includes a firing system for applying firing motions to the end effector to form the unformed the staples supported in the staple cartridge. The surgical instrument further includes a tissue cutting system that may be optionally actuated after the staples have been formed.