Patent ID: 11957401
Assignee: GYRUS ACMI, INC.
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 7:
8. An electrosurgical instrument comprising forceps having:
a first arm defining a generally triangular cross-sectional shape and including an inner tissue-engaging surface defining a first width, an outer spine surface facing away from the inner tissue-engaging surface and defining a smaller second width, a plurality of converging side surfaces joining the inner tissue-engaging surface and the outer spine surface, a first electrode located on the inner tissue-engaging surface, a first electrode extension portion extending from the first electrode to the outer spine surface, and a second electrode located on the inner tissue-engaging surface, wherein the first electrode defines a first surface area along the inner tissue-engaging surface and the first electrode extension portion defines a second smaller surface area along the outer spine surface; and
a second arm opposing the first arm, the second arm including an inner tissue-engaging surface that faces the inner tissue-engaging surface of the first arm, an outer surface, a plurality of side surfaces extending between the inner-tissue engaging surface and the outer surface, and a conductive element located on the inner tissue-engaging surface;
wherein the conductive element is a floating electrode so that a preferential path is created for energy flow from one or more of the first and second electrodes via the floating electrode in bipolar mode; and
wherein the first electrode extension portion passes energy in a monopolar mode from the outer spine surface of the first arm and the one or more of the first and second electrodes and the conductive element pass energy in a bipolar mode from the inner tissue-engaging surfaces of the first and second arms, respectively.