Energy-based surgical instrument for grasping, treating, and/or cutting tissue

A surgical instrument, comprising:

• first and second shaft members, each of the first and second shaft members including a handle disposed at a proximal end portion thereof;
• a lockout bar movable between a locked position, wherein the lockout bar is disposed within a gap defined between the first and second shaft members, and an unlocked position, wherein the lockout bar is withdrawn from the gap;
• and
• a pivot member pivotably coupling the first and second shaft members and defining a pivot axis, wherein the handles of the first and second shaft members are:
• pivotable relative to one another in directions perpendicular to the pivot axis;
• and
• yawable relative to one another in directions parallel to the pivot axis.

A surgical instrument, comprising:

• first and second shaft members having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, each of the first and second shaft members having a handle disposed at the proximal end portion thereof;
• and
• first and second jaw members extending from the distal end portions of the respective first and second shaft members,
• wherein the handles of the first and second shaft members are:
• pivotable relative to one another in directions perpendicular to a pivot axis;
• and
• yawable relative to one another in directions parallel to the pivot axis to yaw the first and second jaw members relative to one another, wherein the first jaw member includes a first shearing surface configured to cooperate with a second shearing surface of the second jaw member to cut tissue upon yawing of the first and second jaw members.

A surgical instrument, comprising:

• first and second shaft members each defining a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, wherein each of the first and second shaft members includes a handle disposed at the proximal end portion thereof;
• a pivot member pivotably coupling the distal end portions of the first and second shaft members;
• and
• first and second jaw members extending from the distal end portions of the respective first and second shaft members,
• wherein the handles of the first and second shaft members are:
• pivotable relative to one another in directions perpendicular to a pivot axis of the pivot member;
• and
• yawable relative to one another in directions parallel to the pivot axis to yaw the first and second jaw members relative to one another, wherein each of the first and second jaw members defines a stepped configuration including an interior corner, and yawing of the first and second jaw members causes the interior corners to cut tissue disposed therebetween.