Patent ID: 8906016

Claim:
A surgical instrument for supplying energy to tissue, comprising: a handle, comprising: a trigger; and an electrical input; a shaft extending from said handle, wherein said shaft comprises a conductor, wherein said trigger is selectively actuatable to electrically couple said electrical input and said conductor; and an end effector, comprising: a first jaw member; a second jaw member, wherein at least one of said first jaw member and said second jaw member is movable relative to the other of said first jaw member and said second jaw member to clamp tissue intermediate said first jaw member and said second jaw member; an electrode electrically coupled with said conductor, wherein said electrode is arranged relative to said first jaw member, wherein said electrode comprises: a contiguous electrode body configured to be polarized to a common polarity, wherein said contiguous electrode body comprises a polarizable contiguous tissue-facing surface; and a plurality of steam apertures defined within said polarizable contiguous tissue-facing surface, and wherein said electrode is configured to generate heat when electrical energy is supplied to said electrode; and at least one steam path within said contiguous electrode body, wherein said plurality of steam apertures are in fluid communication with said at least one steam path, and wherein said at least one steam path is configured to vent steam generated when the tissue is heated by said electrode.