Patent ID: 7204835

Claim:
A method of electrosurgically cutting tissue at a surgical site comprising the steps of (i) providing a bipolar electrosurgical instrument including a handle, a jaw assembly arranged such that manipulation of the handle allows the opposed jaws of the jaw assembly to be opened and closed with respect to one another; a first of said opposed jaws having at least a first coagulating electrode; the other of said opposed jaws having at least a second coagulating electrode; and a cutting electrode mounted on one of the first and second jaws and separated from one of the first and second coagulating electrode by an insulating member, (ii) manipulating the electrosurgical instrument at the surgical site such that the jaws of the jaw assembly are open with respect to one another, with the cutting electrode and at least one of the first and second coagulating electrodes contacting tissue at the surgical site, (iii) supplying a radio frequency electrosurgical signal between the cutting electrode and the at least one of the first and second coagulating electrode, and (iv) moving the electrosurgical instrument while maintaining the jaws in their open position and with the cutting electrode remaining stationary relative to the jaw on which it is mounted so as to cut tissue at the surgical site.