Patent ID: 7771424

Claim:
A tissue cutting and sealing device, comprising: a pair of opposing elements dimensioned to grasp tissue therebetween; and a ceramic-metallic heating assembly on at least one of the opposing elements, wherein the ceramic-metallic heating assembly comprises: a ceramic body; and a metalized portion of the ceramic body extending in a longitudinal direction along an upper surface of the ceramic body, wherein the upper surface of the ceramic body is curved such that a center of the ceramic body is raised with respect to side edges of the ceramic body, and wherein the metalized portion of the ceramic body sticks upwardly from the upper surface of the ceramic body such that a top surface of the metallic portion protrudes above a topmost surface of the ceramic body, and wherein the ceramic body has a generally crescent-shaped cross section transverse to the longitudinal direction and defining an air gap between the ceramic body and an inner surface of said at least one of the opposing elements such that passing of heat from the ceramic body to the heating assembly is avoided.