Patent ID: 6932810

Claim:
A bipolar electrosurgical instrument for sealing and cutting tissue, comprising: a chassis having a longitudinal axis defined therethrough and first and second end effectors attached thereto, one of said first and second end effectors being movable along said longitudinal axis relative to the other of said first and second end effectors from a first position for positioning tissue therebetween to a second position for grasping tissue between said first and second end effectors, wherein said first and second end effectors include complimenting vessel sealing electrodes which partially matingly engage one another, said electrodes adapted to be connected to a source of electrosurgical energy such that the electrodes are capable of sealing and cutting tissue disposed therebetween upon activation of said electrodes; an activator for moving said end effectors from the first to second positions; a sensor for measuring the impedance across the tissue held between said end effectors; and means for selectively applying electrosurgical energy from an electrosurgical energy source to said end effectors in response to the impedance measurement across the tissue from said sensor.