Patent ID: 8734445

Claim:
An end effector assembly for an electrosurgical instrument, comprising: a pair of first and second jaw members including respective seal plates adapted to connect to an energy source, at least one of the first and second jaw members movable relative to the other jaw member from an open position, wherein the first and the second jaw members are disposed in spaced relation relative to one another, to a clamping position wherein the first and second jaw members cooperate to grasp tissue therebetween, the first and second jaw members operable in at least two bipolar modes of operation, a first bipolar mode of operation for treating tissue and a second bipolar mode of operation for separating tissue; a dissector channel defined longitudinally in the second jaw member, the dissector channel including a bottom surface that is sloped; an electrical dissecting member translatable through the dissector channel, the electrical dissecting member in electrical communication with at least one of the seal plates of the first and second jaw members and activatable in the second bipolar mode of operation for separating tissue when the first and second jaw members are in one of the open and clamping positions and tissue is adjacent thereto; wherein the dissector channel is configured to raise the electrical dissecting member above a seal surface of the seal plate of the second jaw member when the electrical dissecting member is translated distally; wherein the electrical dissecting member is movable from a partially extended position within the dissector channel where the electrical dissecting member is flush with a seal surface of the seal plate of the second jaw member, to a fully extended position within the dissector channel where the electrical dissecting member is elevated from the seal surface of the seal plate of the second jaw member; and wherein when the electrical dissecting member is flush with the seal surface of the seal plate of the second jaw member, the electrical dissecting member and the seal plate of the second jaw member have the same polarity, and when the electrical dissecting member is elevated above the seal surface, the electrical dissecting member and the seal plate of the second jaw member have a different polarity.