Electrocautery surgical scissors

Abstract

A tissue-cutting apparatus includes 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 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, an electrode extension mounted on and connected to at least one of the electrodes on a side thereof remote from the cutting blade to extend in a direction toward the cutting edge of the associated blade, and conductors connected to the electrodes for supplying electrical signals thereto.

1 - 3 . (canceled) 
   
   
       4 . A tissue cutting apparatus, comprising:
 a first jaw;   a second jaw that is moveable relative to the first jaw;   a first electrode coupled to the first jaw, the first electrode having a first electrode portion for contacting tissue;   a second electrode coupled to the second jaw, the second electrode having a second electrode portion for contacting the tissue;   a first tissue cutting element located next to the first electrode; and   wherein the first electrode portion of the electrode is offset from the first tissue cutting element such that when the first and the second jaws close towards each other, the first electrode portion of the electrode contacts the tissue first before the first cutting element contacts the tissue.   
   
   
       5 . The tissue cutting apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the tissue cutting element is coupled to the first jaw. 
   
   
       6 . The tissue cutting apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the tissue cutting element is fixed in position relative to the first electrode. 
   
   
       7 . The tissue cutting apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the tissue cutting element comprises a blade. 
   
   
       8 . The tissue cutting apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the first tissue cutting element has a portion for contacting the tissue, and the first electrode portion of the electrode is offset from the portion of the first tissue cutting element by a distance that is measured in a direction of movement by the first jaw. 
   
   
       9 . The tissue cutting apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the distance is less than 0.03 inch. 
   
   
       10 . The tissue cutting apparatus of  claim 4 , further comprising a second tissue cutting element, wherein the first tissue cutting element is coupled to the first jaw, and the second tissue cutting element is coupled to the second jaw. 
   
   
       11 . The tissue cutting apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the second electrode portion of the second electrode is offset from the second tissue cutting element such that when the first and the second jaws close towards each other, the first and the second electrodes contact the tissue first before the first and the second cutting elements contact the tissue. 
   
   
       12 . The tissue cutting apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein a first lateral distance between the first and the second electrodes measured in a direction that is perpendicular to a direction of movement by the first jaw is larger than a second lateral distance between the first and the second tissue cutting elements. 
   
   
       13 . The tissue cutting apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the first jaw comprises an insulative structure to which the first electrode and the first tissue cutting element is coupled. 
   
   
       14 . The tissue cutting apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the first and the second jaws are configured to operate on a vessel, and the tissue comprises a segment of the vessel. 
   
   
       15 . The tissue cutting apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the first electrode is located closer to an outer side of the first jaw than the first tissue cutting element. 
   
   
       16 . The tissue cutting apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein a spacing between the first and the second electrodes is minimized, the spacing being measured in a lateral direction that is perpendicular to a direction of movement of the first jaw. 
   
   
       17 . A tissue cutting apparatus, comprising:
 a first jaw;   a second jaw that is rotatable relative to the first jaw;   a first electrode coupled to the first jaw, the first electrode having a first electrode portion for contacting tissue;   a second electrode coupled to the second jaw, the second electrode having a second electrode portion for contacting the tissue;   a first tissue cutting element located next to the first electrode; and   wherein the first electrode portion of the electrode is offset from the first tissue cutting element such that when a tissue is placed between the first and the second jaws, a first distance between the tissue and the first electrode is less than a second distance between the tissue and the first cutting element.   
   
   
       18 . The tissue cutting apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the tissue cutting element is coupled to the first jaw. 
   
   
       19 . The tissue cutting apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the tissue cutting element is fixed in position relative to the first electrode. 
   
   
       20 . The tissue cutting apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the tissue cutting element comprises a blade. 
   
   
       21 . The tissue cutting apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the first tissue cutting element has a portion for contacting the tissue, and the first electrode portion of the electrode is offset from the portion of the first tissue cutting element by a distance that is measured in a direction of movement by the first jaw. 
   
   
       22 . The tissue cutting apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the distance is less than 0.03 inch. 
   
   
       23 . The tissue cutting apparatus of  claim 17 , further comprising a second tissue cutting element, wherein the first tissue cutting element is coupled to the first jaw, and the second tissue cutting element is coupled to the second jaw. 
   
   
       24 . The tissue cutting apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the second electrode portion of the second electrode is offset from the second tissue cutting element such that when the first and second jaws close towards each other, the first and the second electrodes contact the tissue first before the first and the second cutting elements contact the tissue. 
   
   
       25 . The tissue cutting apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein a first lateral distance between the first and the second electrodes measured in a direction that is perpendicular to a direction of movement by the first jaw is larger than a second lateral distance between the first and the second tissue cutting elements. 
   
   
       26 . The tissue cutting apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the first jaw comprises an insulative structure to which the first electrode and the first tissue cutting element is coupled. 
   
   
       27 . The tissue cutting apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the first and the second jaws are configured to operate on a vessel, and the tissue comprises a segment of the vessel. 
   
   
       28 . The tissue cutting apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the first electrode is located closer to an outer side of the first jaw than the first tissue cutting element. 
   
   
       29 . The tissue cutting apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein a spacing between the first and the second electrodes is minimized, the spacing being measured in a lateral direction that is perpendicular to a direction of movement of the first jaw.