ELECTROSURGICAL INSTRUMENT WHICH REDUCES COLLATERAL DAMAGE TO ADJACENT TISSUE

摘要

An electrode assembly for use with an electrosurgical instrument having opposing end effectors and a handle for effecting movement of the end effectors relative to one another, comprising: a housing having at least one portion which is removably engageable with at least one portion of the instrument; a pair of electrodes each including an electrically conductive sealing surface and an insulating substrate, the electrodes being removably engageable with the end effectors of the instrument such that the electrodes reside in opposing relation relative to one another; wherein an outer peripheral edge of at least one electrically conductive sealing surface includes a radius and the insulator meets the electrically conductive sealing surface along an adjoining edge which is generally tangential to the radius.