Surgical end effector with bipolar and isolated monopolar electrodes and related methods

A method of applying at least one of a monopolar energy and a bipolar energy to a tissue with a surgical instrument, the surgical instrument including (a) a shaft assembly;

• and (b) an end effector distally extending from the shaft assembly in a distal direction, wherein the end effector comprises:
• (i) a first jaw having a first inner portion and an opposing, first outer portion, and (ii) a second jaw having a second inner portion and an opposing, second outer portion and configured to selectively move relative to the first jaw from a closed configuration toward an open configuration wherein the first and second inner portions face toward each other in the closed configuration, (iii) a first bipolar electrode secured to the first inner portion of the first jaw or the second inner portion of the second jaw, (iv) a second bipolar electrode secured to the first inner portion of the first jaw or the second inner portion of the second jaw, and (v) a first monopolar electrode secured to the first outer portion of the first jaw or the second outer portion of the second jaw, the method comprising:
• (a) selectively energizing the first monopolar electrode or the first and second bipolar electrodes thereby applying at least one of the monopolar energy and the bipolar energy to the tissue.