ELECTRODE FOR COAGULATION AND RESECTION

摘要

This invention is a surgical instrument electrode (24) having a tissue cutting edge (76) disposed along a front portion, a gap (51) having a depth extending along an axis passing through the front portion, and a rear portion wherein the depth terminates in a region between the front portion and the rear portion. With such an arrangement, relatively deep gaps (51) may be formed in the electrode (24) without requiring a corresponding increase in the bluntness of the tissue cutting edge (76). In addition, the electrode (24) has a cross-sectional shaped substantially continuously changing along a portion of the electrode (24) from a substantially circular cross section at a distal end to a substantially rectangular cross section along the tissue cutting edge (76). Due to the continuous nature of the change, undesirable electrical arcing due to the shape change is substantially reduced.