Patent ID: 8226649

Claim:
A bipolar electrosurgical scissors for use in treating biological tissue, comprising: a first scissor blade including a shearing surface, an opposed surface opposite the shearing surface, and a cutting edge, the shearing surface and cutting edge being electrically neutral; a second scissor blade pivotally coupled to the first blade, the second blade including a shearing surface, an opposed surface opposite the shearing surface, and a cutting edge, the shearing surface and cutting edge being electrically neutral; a first electrical connection for receiving an electrical current of a first polarity; a second electrical connection for receiving an electrical current of a second polarity, the second polarity being opposite the first polarity; at least one first electrode positioned on the opposed surface of the first scissor blade and coupled to the first electrical connection; at least one second electrode positioned on the opposed surface of the first scissor blade and coupled to the second electrical connection; at least one first electrode positioned on the opposed surface of the second scissor blade and coupled to the second electrical connection; and at least one second electrode positioned on the opposed surface of the second scissor blade and coupled to the first electrical connection, in a first energized state, the first electrical connection delivers electrical current only to the at least one first electrode on the first scissor blade and the second electrical connection delivers electrical current only to the at least one first electrode on the second scissor blade, and in a second energized state, the first electrical connection delivers electrical current to the at least one first electrode on the first scissor blade and to the at least one second electrode on the second scissor blade and the second electrical connection delivers electrical current to the at least one second electrode on the first scissor blade and to the at least one first electrode on the second scissor blade.