Patent ID: 7780663

Claim:
An electrosurgical instrument having an end effector capable of clamping on tissue and receiving RF bipolar energy therein, said end effector comprising: a) a first pole electrode having a first tissue contact surface; b) a second pole electrode having a second tissue contact surface with at least one pocket recessed therein; and c) a dielectric coating placed on said second pole electrode across said second tissue contact surface and into said at least one pocket, said dielectric coating having at least one open channel recessed deep into said at least one open pocket and extending through said dielectric coating to provide passage of radio frequency energy between said first and second pole electrodes, wherein when the end effector is clamped without tissue therein, said first and said second pole electrodes are configured to prevent shorting contact therebetween, wherein when the end effector is clamped with at least one electrically conducting object therein, said first and second pole electrodes and said dielectric coating are configured to prevent said at least one electrically conducting object from directly shorting said first and second pole electrodes together.