Patent ID: 7131971

Claim:
An endoscopic bipolar forceps for sealing and dividing tissue, comprising: an elongated shaft having opposing jaw members at a distal end thereof, the jaw members being movable relative to one another about a pivot from a first position wherein the jaw members are disposed in spaced relation relative to one another to a second position wherein the jaw members cooperate to grasp tissue therebetween, each jaw member including an electrically conductive sealing surface having a non-stick coating disposed thereon to reduce tissue adherence; each jaw member adapted to electrically couple to a source of electrical energy such that the jaw members are capable of conducting energy through tissue held therebetween to effect a seal; a handle assembly being dimensioned to maintain a closure pressure in the range of about 3 kg/cm 2 to about 16 kg/cm 2 between the electrically conductive sealing surfaces; a longitudinally reciprocating knife disposed within the elongated shaft, the knife being attached to a selectively translatable drive rod to sever tissue proximate the seal; a bifurcated knife bar attached to the knife at a distal end thereof and attached to a knife guide at a proximal end thereof, said bifurcated knife bar including two forks being configured to ride about opposites sides of said pivot during translation of the bifurcated knife bar through tissue, wherein the bifurcated knife bar is closed at the distal end and open at the proximal end thereof; and at least one non-conductive stop member operatively associated with the electrically conductive surface of at least one of the jaw members, the at least one non-conductive stop member being dimensioned to control the distance between the jaw members when tissue is held therebetween, wherein the at least one non-conductive stop member creates a gap between the electrically conductive sealing surfaces within the range of about 0.001 inches to about 0.006 inches.