Patent ID: 8282634

Claim:
A bipolar forceps, comprising: a housing having a shaft that extends therefrom that defines a longitudinal axis therethrough, the shaft including an electrically conductive distal end, the housing including a drive assembly disposed therein, the drive assembly being operable to reciprocate an actuation tube within the shaft, at least a portion of the actuation tube being electrically conductive; and an end effector assembly operatively connected to the shaft and having a pair of first and second jaw members biased in an open configuration, each of the first and second jaw members being pivotable about a living hinge, wherein distal reciprocation of the actuation tube causes each of the jaw members towards one another about the living hinge, wherein one of the jaw members is in electrical communication with the distal end of the shaft and the other jaw member is in selective electrical communication with a distal end of the actuation tube such that when the jaw members are in a closed configuration a closed loop electrical circuit is formed.