Vessel sealer and divider with rotating sealer and cutter

1. An electrosurgical instrument for sealing and dividing tissue, comprising:

a housing having a shaft attached thereto, the shaft defining a longitudinal axis;

first and second opposing jaw members coupled to the shaft, the first jaw member having a conductive surface and being movable relative to the longitudinal axis and the second jaw member, the second jaw member being stationary about the longitudinal axis and extending from the shaft, the stationary second jaw member including an electrode positioned within the stationary second jaw member and rotatable about the longitudinal axis, the rotatable electrode including a first surface for sealing tissue and a second surface for cutting tissue;

each jaw member adapted to be connected to a source of electrosurgical energy such that the jaw members are capable of selectively conducting energy through tissue held therebetween; and

at least one non-conductive stop member disposed on at least one of the first and second jaw members which controls the gap distance between the jaw members when tissue is held therebetween.

2. An electrosurgical instrument according to claim 1 , further comprising a rotating assembly which rotates the electrode of the second jaw member, the rotating assembly operatively associated with the housing and actuatable to set the orientation of the electrode between a first operable position for sealing tissue and a second operable position for cutting tissue.

3. An electrosurgical instrument according to claim 2 , wherein when the electrode is disposed in the first operable position a sealing surface of the electrode is generally parallel to the conductive surface of the first jaw member to enable tissue sealing upon activation.

4. An electrosurgical instrument according to claim 2 , wherein when the electrode is disposed in the second operable position a cutting edge of the electrode is perpendicular to the conductive surface of the first jaw member to enable tissue cutting.

5. An electrosurgical instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the stop members controls the distance between electrically conductive surfaces within the range of about 0.001 inches to about 0.006 inches.

6. An electrosurgical instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the stop members controls the distance between electrically conductive surfaces within the range of about 0.002 inches to about 0.004 inches.

7. An electrosurgical instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one non-conductive stop member is disposed on the sealing surface of the rotatable electrode.

8. An electrosurgical instrument according to claim 4 , wherein electrosurgical energy is selectively conducted between the cutting edge of the electrode and the conductive surface of the first jaw member to enable tissue cutting.

9. An electrosurgical instrument according to claim 1 , further comprising a handle assembly which maintains a closure pressure within the range of about 3 kg/cm2 to about 16 kg/cm2 between the first and second jaw members for sealing tissue.

10. An electrosurgical instrument according to claim 2 , wherein the rotating assembly is actuatable at a proximal end of the electrosurgical instrument to thereby orient the electrode at a distal end of the electro surgical instrument between the first and second operable positions.