End effector with tissue compression features and methods of using the same

A surgical instrument comprising:

• (a) a shaft assembly;
• (b) an end effector extending distally from the shaft assembly;
• (c) a first jaw of the end effector with an electrode configured to apply energy to a tissue of a patient, the electrode comprising:
• (i) an electrode base surface, and
• (ii) a patterned coating layer having a coating material on the electrode base surface defining a raised profile offset from the electrode base surface, wherein the patterned coating layer further defines a plurality of openings to thereby expose a plurality of bare electrode portions of the electrode base surface therethrough;
• (d) a second jaw of the end effector with an electrode configured to apply energy to a tissue of a patient, the electrode comprising:
• (i) an electrode base surface, and
• (ii) a patterned coating layer having a coating material on the electrode base surface defining a raised profile offset from the electrode base surface, wherein the patterned coating layer further defines a plurality of openings to thereby expose a plurality of bare electrode portions of the electrode base surface therethrough;
• wherein the raised profile of the patterned coating layer of the first jaw has a first coating application thickness at a distal end of the electrode base surface and a second coating application thickness at a proximal end of the electrode base surface, and wherein the second coating application thickness is greater than the first coating application thickness,
• wherein the raised profile of the patterned coating layer of the second jaw has a first coating application thickness at a distal end of the electrode base surface and a second coating application thickness at a proximal end of the electrode base surface, and wherein the second coating application thickness is greater than the first coating application thickness,
• wherein a coverage ratio of the raised profile of the patterned coating layer to the plurality of bare electrode portions of the electrode base surface of the first jaw is between about 15% to about 75% of a total surface area of the electrode base surface, and
• wherein a coverage ratio of the raised profile of the patterned coating layer to the plurality of bare electrode portions of the electrode base surface of the second jaw is between about 15% to about 75% of a total surface area of the electrode base surface.

A method of manufacturing a surgical instrument that includes an electrode configured to apply energy to a tissue of a patient, the method comprising:

• (a) applying a coating material that forms a patterned coating layer located on an electrode base surface of the electrode to form a raised profile offset from the electrode base surface;
• wherein the patterned coating layer further defines a plurality of openings to thereby expose a plurality of bare electrode portions of the electrode base surface therethrough;
• and
• wherein a coverage ratio of the raised profile of the patterned coating layer to the plurality of bare electrode portions of the electrode base surface is between about 15% to about 75% of a total surface area of the electrode base surface.