Surgical instrument

An electrosurgical instrument comprising:

• a handle;
• an elongate shaft extending from the handle along a longitudinal shaft axis;
• and
• an end effector assembly located at a distal end of the elongate shaft, the end effector assembly comprising:
• a pair of opposing a first jaw member and a second jaw member that each includes a first side edge, a second side edge, and a distal end edge, the first side edge and the second side edge being disposed on opposite sides of each of the first jaw member and the second jaw member;
• the first jaw member including a first tissue-contacting surface and the second jaw member including a second tissue-contacting surface;
• at least one jaw member of the first jaw member and the second jaw member being movable relative to the other jaw member between a first open position in which the first jaw member and the second jaw member are disposed in a spaced relation relative to one another, and a second closed position in which the first jaw member and the second jaw member move to grasp tissue between the first tissue-contacting surface and the second tissue-contacting surface;
• the first tissue-contacting surface comprising a first plurality of ridges and a first plurality of grooves extending parallel to one another in a first direction, and the second tissue-contacting surface comprising a second plurality of ridges and a second plurality of grooves extending parallel to one another in a second direction, the first direction being different from the second direction;
• and
• each ridge of the first plurality of ridges extending directly from the first side edge to the second side edge on the first jaw member and each ridge of the second plurality of ridges extending directly from the first side edge to the second side edge on the second jaw member,
• wherein:
• an entire area of the first tissue-contacting surface consists of the first plurality of ridges and the first plurality of grooves and an entire area of the second tissue-contacting surface consists of the second plurality of ridges and the second plurality of grooves.

An end effector assembly for an electrosurgical instrument, the end effector assembly comprising:

• a pair of opposing a first jaw member and a second jaw member that each includes a first side edge, a second side edge, and a distal end edge, the first side edge and the second side edge being disposed on opposite sides of each of the first jaw member and the second jaw member;
• the first jaw member including a first tissue-contacting surface and the second jaw member including a second tissue-contacting surface;
• at least one jaw member of the first jaw member and the second jaw member being movable relative to the other jaw member between a first open position in which the first jaw member and the second jaw member are disposed in a spaced relation relative to one another, and a second closed position in which the first jaw member and the second jaw member are brought together such that in use they move to grasp tissue between the first tissue-contacting surface and the second tissue-contacting surface;
• the first tissue-contacting surface comprising a first plurality of ridges and a first plurality of grooves, and the second tissue-contacting surface comprising a second plurality of ridges and a second plurality of grooves, the first plurality of ridges on the first tissue-contacting surface and the second plurality of ridges on the second tissue-contacting surface are arranged such that the first tissue-contacting surface and the second tissue-contacting surface move to grasp a section of tissue, the first plurality of ridges on the first tissue-contacting surface and the second plurality of ridges on the second tissue-contacting surface extend in different directions;
• and
• each ridge of the first plurality of ridges extending directly from the first side edge to the second side edge on the first jaw member and each ridge of the second plurality of ridges directly extending from the first side edge to the second side edge on the second jaw member,
• wherein:
• an entire area of the first tissue-contacting surface consists of the first plurality of ridges and the first plurality of grooves and an entire area of the second tissue-contacting surface consists of the second plurality of ridges and the second plurality of grooves.