Patent ID: 7951150

Claim:
A method for sealing and dividing tissue, the method comprising the steps of: providing an electrosurgical instrument comprising: a housing having a shaft attached thereto, the shaft defining a longitudinal axis therethrough; and first and second opposing jaw members coupled to the shaft, the first jaw member having a conductive surface and movable relative to the second jaw member, the second jaw member fixed relative to the shaft and having a rotatable electrode positioned therein, the rotatable electrode rotatable about the longitudinal axis and including a first surface for sealing tissue and a second surface for cutting tissue; positioning the first surface of the rotatable electrode in generally parallel relation to the conductive surface of the first jaw member; clamping down on tissue by closing the first and second jaw members and creating a gap distance between the first surface of the second jaw member and the conductive surface of the first jaw member; applying electrosurgical energy to the first surface of the second jaw member and the conductive surface of the first jaw member to effect a tissue seal; opening the first and second jaw members and repositioning the rotatable electrode so the second surface of the rotatable electrode is generally perpendicular to the conductive surface of the first jaw member; and closing the first and second jaw members on the tissue seal to divide the tissue along the seal.