Patent ID: 7500975

Claim:
An open electrosurgical forceps for sealing tissue, the forceps comprising: a pair of first and second shaft portions each having a jaw member disposed at a distal end thereof, said jaw members being movable from a first position in spaced relation relative to one another to at least one subsequent position wherein the jaw members cooperate to grasp tissue therebetween; each of said jaw members including an electrically conductive sealing surface which communicates electrosurgical energy through tissue held therein; at least one of the jaw members including a knife slot defined along a length thereof, the knife slot being dimensioned to reciprocate a knife blade therefrom; and a cutting mechanism for selectively actuating the knife blade from a first distal position wherein the knife blade is disposed at least substantially entirely within the knife slot of one jaw member to at least one subsequent proximal position wherein the knife blade is at least partially deployed from the knife slot of the same jaw member, wherein the knife blade is displaceable in a direction substantially transverse to a longitudinal axis of the forceps.