COAGULATING ELECTROSURGICAL INSTRUMENT WITH TISSUE DAM

摘要

A bipolar electrosurgical instrument having a pair of relatively moveable jaws (22, 24) , each of which includes a tissue contacting surface. The tissue contacting surfaces of the jaws are in face-to-face relation with one another, and adjacent each of the tissue contacting surfaces are first and second spaced-apart electrodes (42, 44, 46, 48) that are adapted for connection to the opposite terminals of a bipolar RF generator. The first and second electrodes of one jaw are in offset opposed relation with the first and second electrodes of the second jaw. A cutting portion is provided between the jaws. The cutting portion (36) is moveable to provide the instrument with a scissors grasper capability. A tissue dam (656) is included on at least one jaw to help contain tissue within the desired coagulation area, and thereby help contain current density between the electrodes.