Surgical end effectors having angled tissue-contacting surfaces

1. An end effector, comprising:

a first jaw member, comprising:

a first jaw body extending longitudinally along a length of the first jaw member, the first jaw body comprising:

a first planar tissue gripping element;

a first positively-angled tissue-contacting surface extending from the first planar tissue gripping element in a first direction away from the first jaw body; and

a first negatively-angled tissue-contacting surface extending from the first planar tissue gripping element in a second direction toward the first jaw body; and

a second jaw member, comprising:

a second jaw body extending longitudinally along a length of the second jaw member, the second jaw body comprising:

a second planar tissue gripping element;

a second positively-angled tissue-contacting surface extending from the second planar tissue gripping element in a third direction away from the second jaw body and toward the first jaw body; and

a second negatively-angled tissue-contacting surface extending from the second planar tissue gripping element in a fourth direction toward the second jaw body and away from the first jaw body;

wherein the first jaw member is movable relative to the second jaw member between an open position and a closed position;

wherein at least one of the first jaw member and the second jaw member comprises at least one activatable electrode;

wherein the at least one activatable electrode is configured to deliver RF energy to tissue located between the first jaw member and the second jaw member when in the closed position; and

wherein the first direction is parallel to the fourth direction, and wherein the second direction is parallel to the third direction.

2. The end effector of claim 1 , wherein the at least one activatable electrode is disposed on the second jaw member, and further comprising at least one return electrode disposed on the first jaw member, wherein the at least one activatable electrode and the at least one return electrode are in a bipolar configuration.

3. The end effector of claim 1 , wherein the first positively-angled tissue-contacting surface opposes the second negatively-angled tissue-contacting surface when the first and second jaw members are in the closed position, and wherein the first negatively-angled tissue-contacting surface opposes the second positively-angled tissue-contacting surface when the first and second jaw members are in the closed position.

4. The end effector of claim 1 , wherein the first positively-angled tissue-contacting surface forms an angle with the first planar tissue gripping element, wherein the second positively-angled tissue-contacting surface forms an angle with the second planar tissue gripping element, and wherein the angles range from 25 degrees to 50 degrees.

5. The end effector of claim 4 , wherein the angles are the same.

6. The end effector of claim 1 , wherein the first positively-angled tissue-contacting surface is disposed along substantially an entire length of the first jaw member, and wherein the second positively-angled tissue-contacting surface is disposed along substantially an entire length of the second jaw member.

7. The end effector of claim 1 , wherein the first jaw member comprises a first proximal tissue-contacting portion, wherein the second jaw member comprises a second proximal tissue-contacting portion, wherein the first positively-angled tissue-contacting surface is disposed along the first proximal tissue-contacting portion of the first jaw member, and the second positively-angled tissue-contacting surface is disposed along the second proximal tissue-contacting portion of the second jaw member.

8. The end effector of claim 7 , wherein the first jaw member comprises a first distal textured portion adjacent to the first proximal tissue-contacting portion, and wherein the second jaw member comprises a second distal textured portion adjacent to a second proximal tissue-contacting portion.

9. An end effector, comprising:

a first jaw member, comprising:

a first jaw body extending longitudinally along a length of the first jaw member, the first jaw body comprising:

a first planar tissue gripping surface;

a first positively-angled tissue-contacting surface extending from the first planar tissue gripping surface away from the first jaw body; and

a first negatively-angled tissue-contacting surface extending from the first planar tissue gripping surface toward the first jaw body; and

a second jaw member, wherein at least one of the first jaw member and the second jaw member is movable relative to the other one of the first jaw member and the second jaw member between an open position and a closed position, and wherein the second jaw member comprises:

a second jaw body extending longitudinally along a length of the second jaw member, the second jaw body comprising:

a second planar tissue gripping surface;

a second positively-angled tissue-contacting surface extending from the second planar tissue gripping surface away from the second jaw body and toward the first jaw body; and

a second negatively-angled tissue-contacting surface extending from the second planar tissue gripping surface toward the second jaw body and away from the first jaw body;

at least one electrode disposed onto at least one of the first jaw body and the second jaw body, wherein the at least one electrode is configured to deliver RF energy to tissue captured between the first jaw body and the second jaw body; and

wherein the first positively-angled tissue-contacting surface is parallel to the first negatively-angled tissue-contacting surface, and wherein the second positively-angled tissue-contacting surface is parallel to the second negatively-angled tissue-contacting surface.