Endoscopic electrosurgical jaws with offset knife

A forceps, comprising:

• an end effector assembly, including:
• first and second jaw members, at least one of the jaw members defining a knife channel extending therethrough, each jaw member including a proximal flange having an inwardly-facing surface, the proximal flanges coupled to one another for moving the jaw members relative to one another between a first position and a second position for grasping tissue therebetween, the inwardly-facing surfaces of the proximal flanges disposed in abutting relation relative to one another;
• a knife configured to move along a knife path defined along an outwardly-facing surface of one of the proximal flanges, the knife movable between a retracted position and an extended position, wherein the knife extends through the knife channel and between the jaw members to cut tissue grasped therebetween;
• and
• a knife guide disposed on the outwardly-facing surface of at least one of the proximal flanges, the knife guide including a blade stop pivotably coupled thereto and biased to obstruct the knife path when the first and second jaw members are disposed in a first, open configuration to prevent distal translation of knife blade.