The forceps combine a robust jaw opening mechanism with a microwave energy delivery mechanism. The forceps includes a rigid bracket 208 mounted at a distal end of a flexible shaft 210, wherein a pair of jaws 202, 204 are pivotably mounted on the rigid bracket. The instrument includes an energy delivery structure comprising a flexible dielectric substrate 230, 232, having a first electrode 240 and a second electrode formed on one of the pair of jaws, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are arranged to emit microwave energy. The electrosurgical apparatus may also comprise a handpiece (Fig 6a-c) that combines rotation control of an electrosurgical instrument with both power delivery and end effector actuation (e.g. jaw closure, blade retraction or the like).
