Patent ID: 7113831

Claim:
A device for clamping and ablating cardiac tissue comprising: a first handle member; a second handle member; first and second opposed jaws associated with the first and second handle members, respectively, the jaws being movable by the handle members between a first open position and a second clamped position; a first electrical conductive member carried by the first jaw; a second electrical conductive member carried by the second jaw; at least one jaw including a surface for engaging tissue clamped between the jaws, the surface comprising insulative material, an aperture extending through the insulative material and the respective conductive member of such jaw being carried at least in part in the jaw and conductive of electrical energy through the aperture to tissue clamped between the jaws; such conductive member having a width within the jaw greater than the width of the aperture and including a solid, electrically conductive surface for engaging cardiac tissue clamped between the jaws.