Patent ID: 8663220

Claim:
A surgical instrument, comprising: a handpiece housing; an acoustic assembly supported within said handpiece housing, wherein said acoustic assembly is configured to produce vibrations; a waveguide comprising a proximal end and a distal end, wherein said proximal end is mounted to said acoustic assembly such that vibrations produced by said acoustic assembly are transmitted to said waveguide, wherein said distal end comprises a blade, and wherein said blade comprises a widest portion and a first width defined across said widest portion; a clamp movable between an open position and a closed position relative to said waveguide, wherein said clamp comprises: a distal end; and an electrode comprising: a body portion; a first sidewall projecting from said body portion; and a second sidewall projecting from said body portion, wherein said body portion extends between said first and second sidewalls to said distal end of said clamp, and wherein said body portion comprises a second width between said first sidewall and said second sidewall, and wherein said second width is greater than said first width; a first conductor in electrical communication with said waveguide; and a second conductor in electrical communication with said electrode of said clamp, wherein said first conductor and said second conductor are configured to be placed in electrical communication with a power source such that current can flow between said waveguide and said electrode of said clamp through tissue in contact with said waveguide and said electrode of said clamp.