Patent ID: 7544195

Claim:
Tissue-cutting apparatus comprising: first and second electrically conductive tissue-cutting blades coupled together about a common pivot for relative movement thereabout between open and closed positions, the first and second tissue-cutting blades, each having an elongated cutting edge with the cutting edges disposed to pass each other in contiguous relationship along the elongated cutting edges as the first and second blades relatively move from open toward closed positions; an electrode insulated from and attached spaced away from each of the first and second blades on a side thereof remote from the contiguous cutting edges; electrode extensions mounted on and connected to the electrodes on the first and second blades on sides thereof remote from the respective cutting blades to extend in directions toward the cutting edges of the other of the first and second blades, said electrode extensions being configured as arcuate members having convex surfaces oriented in directions toward the cutting edges of the other of the first and second blades; and conductors connected to the electrodes for supplying electrical signals thereto.