NON-BIASED DEFLECTABLE ELECTRODE TO MINIMIZE CONTACT BETWEEN ULTRASONIC BLADE AND ELECTRODE

An end-effector and a surgical instrument including the end-effector are disclosed. The end-effector includes a clamp arm and an ultrasonic blade configured to acoustically couple to an ultrasonic transducer and to electrically couple to a pole of an electrical generator. The clamp arm incudes a clamp jaw, a cantilever electrode, and a clamp arm. The cantilever electrode is biased in a direction toward the clamp jaw and the clamp arm includes a retainer to oppose a biasing force and maintain the cantilever electrode in a substantially flat configuration relative to the ultrasonic blade. A skirt may be disposed around the clamp jaw. The clamp arm pad may include multiple support elements arranged in multiple rows to support the cantilever electrode.