High-frequency treatment tool

A bipolar high-frequency treatment tool for gripping vital tissue between two electrically insulated electrode portions, and supplying a high frequency current to the vital tissue gripped between the two electrode portions, thereby treating the vital tissue, comprising:

• an elongated member;
• a pair of jaws provided at a distal end portion of the elongated member such that they can be closed and opened between a closed position and an open position;
• an operation unit having a handle provided at a proximal end portion of the elongated member, the operation unit closing and opening the jaws when the handle is operated;
• a first electrode portion provided at one of the jaws, and having a first effective electrode surface to be brought into contact with vital tissue when the vital tissue is gripped between the jaws;
• a second electrode portion provided at the other of the jaws, opposed to the first electrode portion, and having a second effective electrode surface to be brought into contact with vital tissue when the vital tissue is gripped between the jaws, the second effective electrode surface being smaller than the first effective electrode surface;
• and
• a current supply unit for supplying a treatment high-frequency current to the first and second electrode portions, thereby supplying the treatment high-frequency current to the vital tissue when the jaws are closed to grip the vital tissue between the first and second electrode portions.