Electrosurgical instrument that directs energy delivery and protects adjacent tissue

An electrode sealing assembly designed for use with an electrosurgical instrument for sealing tissue, comprising:

• first and second jaw members each having an insulative housing and being movable from a first position in spaced relation relative to one another to at least one second position for grasping tissue therebetween;
• each of the jaw members including an electrically conductive sealing member disposed within said respective insulative housing;
• at least one elastomeric insulative member operably coupled to at least one of the insulative housings and including a tissue engaging surface extending beyond a tissue engaging surface of said electrically conductive sealing member in a direction towards the opposing jaw member, wherein said tissue engaging surface of said at least one elastomeric insulative member cooperates with the opposing insulative housing of the opposing jaw member to both pinch and spread tissue when the jaw members are moved to the second position to decrease extraneous energy transmittance to tissue surrounding the jaw members,
• wherein the at least one elastomeric insulative member includes a mechanically interfacing surface that is configured to engage a corresponding mechanically interfacing surface of a respective electrically conductive sealing member, wherein the mechanically interfacing surface of the at least one elastomeric insulative member includes a generally concave horizontal medial portion providing flexibility to further deflect the tissue engaging surface of the at least one elastomeric insulative member.