Apparatus for Performing an Electrosurgical Procedure

An endoscopic forceps, comprising:

• a housing having a shaft that extends therefrom and defines a longitudinal axis therethrough;
• an end effector assembly operatively connected to a distal end of the shaft and having a pair of spaced-apart first and second jaw members, each of the spaced-apart first and second jaw members having respective medial portions, at least one of the medial portions being substantially flexible and movable relative to the other medial portion, the substantially flexible and movable medial portion movable from an initial position for positioning tissue between the first and second jaw members, to a clamping position wherein the first and second jaw members cooperate to grasp tissue therebetween;
• and
• a drive assembly operably coupled to the housing and including at least one drive wire that operably couples to the jaw member having the substantially flexible and movable medial portion,
• wherein proximal movement of the at least one drive wire causes the substantially flexible and movable medial portion to flex inwardly along a substantial length thereof toward the other medial portion.

A forceps, comprising:

• a housing having a shaft that extends therefrom and defines a longitudinal axis therethrough;
• an end effector assembly operatively connected to a distal end of the shaft and having a movable jaw member and a non-movable jaw member, the movable jaw member having a substantially flexible medial portion and movable relative to the non-movable jaw member from an initial position for positioning tissue therebetween, to a clamping position wherein the movable and non-movable jaw members cooperate to grasp tissue therebetween;
• and
• a drive assembly operably coupled to the housing and including a drive wire that operably couples to the movable jaw member,
• wherein proximal movement of the drive wire causes the medial portion of the movable jaw member to flex inwardly along a substantial length thereof and toward the non-movable jaw member.