Patent ID: 7344536

Claim:
Tissue-cutting apparatus comprising: first and second electrically conductive tissue-cutting blades coupled together about a common pivot for relative movement thereabout between open and closed positions, the first and second tissue-cutting blades, each having an elongated cutting edge with the cutting edges disposed to pass each other in contiguous relationship along the elongated cutting edges as the first and second relatively move from open toward closed positions; an electrode disposed on and insulated from each of the first and second blades on a side thereof remote from the contiguous cutting edges; an electrical connection between only one of the first and second blades and the associated electrode disposed thereon for establishing common electrical signal potential thereon, the electrode on at least one of the first and second tissue-cutting blades being extended with respect to the cutting edge of the associated blade in a direction toward the cutting edge of the other of the first and second tissue-cutting blades; and conductors connected to the electrodes for supplying electrical signals thereto.