Patent ID: 9463067
Filing Date: 2016-10-11
CPC Classification: A61B

Claim Text:
1. A surgical instrument, comprising: at least one shaft having an end effector at a distal end thereof including opposing first and second jaw members moveable from a first position in spaced relation relative to one another to at least one subsequent position wherein the opposing jaw members cooperate to grasp tissue under pressure with a gap defined therebetween, at least one of the opposing jaw members including an electrode adapted to connect to an electrosurgical energy source, the electrode configured to communicate a series of electrical pulses of energy through tissue grasped between the jaw members to treat tissue; wherein as the tissue is being treated with an initial pulse of electrosurgical energy at a first electrical potential, the end effector is configured to continually grasp the tissue under pressure to decrease the gap between the opposing jaw members as the tissue shrinks and as subsequent pulses of electrical energy at decreased electrical potentials are communicated through the tissue.