Electrosurgical instruments and systems including thermal cutting elements

Abstract

An electrosurgical instrument includes an end effector assembly including first and second jaw members. At least one of the first or second jaw members is movable relative to the other from a spaced-apart position to an approximated position to grasp tissue therebetween. A thermal cutting wire is disposed on at least a portion of at least one of the first or second jaw members. The thermal cutting wire is configured for ferromagnetic heating to provide automatic Curie temperature control upon supply of an AC signal thereto. The thermal cutting wire may include a conductive core, an inner ferromagnetic coating disposed about the conductive core, and an outer ferromagnetic coating disposed about the inner ferromagnetic coating. The thermal cutting wire may alternatively or additionally include an exposed outer surface defining a roughness configured to facilitate attenuation during ferromagnetic heating.