Electrothermal instrument for sealing and joining or cutting tissue

An instrument for sealing and/or cutting corporeal vessels or organ tissue, comprising:

• a fist grasping member having a proximal end and a distal end, said distal end comprising a heating element comprising an electrically resistant wire,
• a second grasping member having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the proximal ends of the first and second grasping members are positioned adjacent to and rotatively connected to each other,
• an elongated member having proximal and distal ends, and
• a handle attached to the proximal end of the elongated member, the handle comprising a actuator, and
• a power source,
• wherein the first ad second grasping members are operatively connected through the elongated member to the actuator in the handle, wherein the heating element is operatively connected to the power source, and wherein the distal ends of the first and second grasping members each have a circumferentially aged sleeve comprised of a non-stick polymeric material.