Patent ID: 9539049
Date: 2017-01-10
CPC Classifications: A61B

Claim:
1. A surgical instrument, comprising: first and second jaw members transitionable between a closed position and an open position, the first and second jaw members adapted to connect to a source of energy and configured to treat tissue in both a first mode, wherein the first and second jaw members are energized to the same potential to treat tissue with monopolar energy, and a second mode, wherein the first and second jaw members are energized to different potentials to treat tissue with bipolar energy; a sensor disposed on at least one of the first or second jaw members, the sensor configured to sense whether tissue is disposed between the first and second jaw members, the presence of tissue disposed between the first and second jaw members corresponding to the second mode and sense of tissue disposed between the first and second jaw members corresponding to the first mode; and a controller in communication with the sensor, the controller configured to disable monopolar activation of the first and second jaw members when the sensor indicates that the first and second jaw members are in the second mode and to disable bipolar activation of the first and second jaw members when the sensor indicates that the first and second jaw members are in the first mode.