Patent ID: 8123743

Claim:
An open electrosurgical forceps for sealing tissue, comprising: first and second shaft portions pivotably associated with one another, each shaft portion having a jaw member disposed at a distal end thereof, the 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 the jaw members including an electrically conductive sealing surface being configured to communicate electro surgical energy through tissue held therebetween, at least one of the jaw members including a slot formed through the sealing surface thereof; a cutting mechanism operatively associated with the first and second jaw members, the cutting mechanism including: a cutting element disposed within the slot of the at least one jaw member, the cutting element including at least one angled slot defined therethrough which receives a cam pin fixed to one of the jaw members, the cutting element being movable from a first position wherein the cutting element is retracted within the at least one jaw member and a second position in which the cutting element at least partially projects from the sealing surface of the at least one jaw member; and an actuator operatively associated with the cutting element which upon movement thereof selectively advances the cutting element from the first position to the second position, wherein the cutting element remains substantially parallel to the sealing surface of the respective at least one jaw member during movement between the first position and the second position thereof.