Patent ID: 8382792

Claim:
A bipolar forceps, comprising: a housing having a shaft that extends therefrom that defines a longitudinal axis therethrough, the housing including a drive assembly disposed therein, the drive assembly being operable to reciprocate an actuation tube within the shaft, the actuation tube including a generally cylindrical configuration having a pair of cam pins extending laterally across an inside surface thereof; and an end effector assembly operatively connected to a distal end of the shaft having a pair of first and second jaw members having outwardly facing surfaces and seal plates biased in an open configuration, each of the first and second jaw members being pivotable about a living hinge, each of the jaw members including a cam slot defined at a proximal end thereof, the cam slots positioned radially distal from the outwardly facing surfaces of each of the first and second jaw members such that from a closed to open configuration the first and second jaw members move towards each respective cam slot; wherein at least one of the jaw members is operatively connected to a distal end of the actuation tube via at least one cam pin such that proximal reciprocation of the actuation tube cams each of the jaw members towards one another about the living hinge.