Patent ID: 8597293

Claim:
A bipolar electrosurgical scissors for use in treating biological tissue, comprising: a first scissor blade having a shearing surface, an opposed surface opposite the shearing surface and an insulating coating covering the shearing surface and extending between first and second edge surfaces of the shearing surface with portions of the first and second edge surfaces proximate the opposed surface not covered with insulating coating, the portions of the first and second edge surfaces not covered with insulating coating being first electrodes positioned on the opposed surface; a second scissor blade pivotally coupled to the first scissor blade and having a shearing surface, an opposed surface opposite the shearing surface and an insulating coating covering the shearing surface and extending between first and second edge surfaces of the shearing surface with portions of the first and second edge surfaces proximate the opposed surface not covered with insulating coating, the portions of the first and second edge surfaces not covered with insulating coating being first electrodes positioned on the opposed surface; and wherein in a closed condition the distance between the first electrode on the first scissor blade at an edge surface of the shearing surface of the first scissor blade and the first electrode on the second scissor blade at an edge surface of the shearing surface of the second scissor blade is sufficient to prevent electrical arcing between the first electrode on the first scissor blade and the first electrode on the second scissor blade, and wherein in the closed condition the distance between the first electrodes on the first scissor blade at the edge surface of the shearing surface of the first scissor blade and the first electrodes on the second scissor blade at the edge surface of the shearing surface of the second scissor blade is small enough to permit simultaneous connection between the tissue and the first electrode on the first scissor blade and the first electrode on the second scissor blade on adjacent edge surfaces of the first and second scissor blades.