A surgical instrument comprising: a handle assembly; a shaft coupled to a distal end of the handle assembly; and an end effector coupled to a distal end of the shaft, the end effector comprising: a first jaw; a second jaw, wherein the first jaw and the second jaw cooperate to capture tissue therebetween; a stapling member configured to fire one or more staples between the first and second jaws; and at least one electrode (206, 302a, 302b, 1106, 1910) coupled to the first jaw or the second jaw, wherein the at least one electrode is positioned on at least one lateral side of the first jaw or the second jaw and extends substantially across an entire length of the first jaw or the second jaw to which the at least one electrode is coupled, and wherein the at least one electrode is configured to transmit electrosurgical energy to coagulate tissue, wherein the surgical instrument further comprises a processor coupled to a sensor, wherein the sensor is configured to measure a distance or angle of opening between the first jaw and the second jaw, wherein the processor is configured to control delivery of the electrosurgical energy to the at least one electrode based on the measured distance or angle of the sensor, and wherein the processor is configured to deliver the electrosurgical energy to the at least one electrode when it is determined that the first and second jaws are in a closed position and to deliver no electrosurgical energy to the at least one electrode when it is determined that the first and second jaws are in an open position. a handle assembly; a shaft coupled to a distal end of the handle assembly; and an end effector coupled to a distal end of the shaft, the end effector comprising: a first jaw; a second jaw, wherein the first jaw and the second jaw cooperate to capture tissue therebetween; a stapling member configured to fire one or more staples between the first and second jaws; and at least one electrode (206, 302a, 302b, 1106, 1910) coupled to the first jaw or the second jaw, wherein the at least one electrode is positioned on at least one lateral side of the first jaw or the second jaw and extends substantially across an entire length of the first jaw or the second jaw to which the at least one electrode is coupled, and wherein the at least one electrode is configured to transmit electrosurgical energy to coagulate tissue, wherein the surgical instrument further comprises a processor coupled to a sensor, wherein the sensor is configured to measure a distance or angle of opening between the first jaw and the second jaw, wherein the processor is configured to control delivery of the electrosurgical energy to the at least one electrode based on the measured distance or angle of the sensor, and wherein the processor is configured to deliver the electrosurgical energy to the at least one electrode when it is determined that the first and second jaws are in a closed position and to deliver no electrosurgical energy to the at least one electrode when it is determined that the first and second jaws are in an open position. a first jaw; a second jaw, wherein the first jaw and the second jaw cooperate to capture tissue therebetween; a stapling member configured to fire one or more staples between the first and second jaws; and at least one electrode (206, 302a, 302b, 1106, 1910) coupled to the first jaw or the second jaw, wherein the at least one electrode is positioned on at least one lateral side of the first jaw or the second jaw and extends substantially across an entire length of the first jaw or the second jaw to which the at least one electrode is coupled, and wherein the at least one electrode is configured to transmit electrosurgical energy to coagulate tissue, wherein the surgical instrument further comprises a processor coupled to a sensor, wherein the sensor is configured to measure a distance or angle of opening between the first jaw and the second jaw, wherein the processor is configured to control delivery of the electrosurgical energy to the at least one electrode based on the measured distance or angle of the sensor, and wherein the processor is configured to deliver the electrosurgical energy to the at least one electrode when it is determined that the first and second jaws are in a closed position and to deliver no electrosurgical energy to the at least one electrode when it is determined that the first and second jaws are in an open position.