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A tissue cutting and sealing device, having a pair of opposing elements dimensioned to grasp tissue therebetween; and a heating assembly on at least one of the opposing elements, wherein the heating assembly includes: a ceramic body; and a metalized portion extending along a top surface of the ceram

A tissue cutting and sealing device, having a pair of opposing elements dimensioned to grasp tissue therebetween; and a heating assembly on at least one of the opposing elements, wherein the heating assembly includes: a ceramic body; and a metalized portion extending along a top surface of the ceramic body. The top surface of the ceramic body preferably has a width greater than the metalized portion.

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What is claimed is: 1. A tissue cutting and sealing device, comprising: a pair of opposing elements dimensioned to grasp tissue therebetween; and a ceramic-metallic heating assembly on at least one of the opposing elements, wherein the ceramic-metallic heating assembly comprises: a ceramic body; an

What is claimed is: 1. A tissue cutting and sealing device, comprising: a pair of opposing elements dimensioned to grasp tissue therebetween; and a ceramic-metallic heating assembly on at least one of the opposing elements, wherein the ceramic-metallic heating assembly comprises: a ceramic body; and a metalized portion of the ceramic body extending in a longitudinal direction along an upper surface of the ceramic body, wherein the upper surface of the ceramic body is curved such that a center of the ceramic body is raised with respect to side edges of the ceramic body, and wherein the metalized portion of the ceramic body sticks upwardly from the upper surface of the ceramic body such that a top surface of the metallic portion protrudes above a topmost surface of the ceramic body, and wherein the ceramic body has a generally crescent-shaped cross section transverse to the longitudinal direction and defining an air gap between the ceramic body and an inner surface of said at least one of the opposing elements such that passing of heat from the ceramic body to the heating assembly is avoided. 2. The device of claim 1, wherein the metalized portion is formed integral to the ceramic body. 3. The device of claim 2, wherein the metalized portion is formed onto the ceramic body by a brazing process. 4. The device of claim 1, wherein the ceramic body is formed by a ceramic injection molding process, or a pressed ceramic molding. 5. The device of claim 1, wherein the ceramic body is dimensioned wide enough such that a tissue cutting zone forms adjacent to the metalized portion and a tissue sealing zone forms on either side of the cutting zone adjacent to a top surface of the ceramic body. 6. The device of claim 5, wherein the cutting zone forms where the metalized portion contacts the tissue and the sealing zones form where the ceramic body contacts the tissue. 7. The device of claim 1, wherein the metalized portion comprises at least one of the materials selected from the group consisting of titanium, zirconium, niobium, vanadium, nickel or molybdenum. 8. The device of claim 1, wherein the ceramic body comprises zirconia or alumina ceramic. 9. The device of claim 1, wherein one of the opposing elements is moveable and the other of the opposing elements is stationary, and wherein the at least one heating assembly is only mounted on the stationary opposing element. 10. The device of claim 9, wherein the moveable element comprises a compliant working surface for grasping tissue. 11. The device of claim 1, further comprising: a surgical device main body, wherein the pair of opposing elements are disposed at a distal end of the surgical device main body. 12. The device of claim 11, wherein the at least one heating assembly is disposed in an extended portion of the surgical device main body. 13. The device of claim 12, further comprising: a pin passing through the distal end of the heating assembly, wherein the pin completes a circuit between the metalized portion and a portion of the surgical device main body. 14. The device of claim 13, wherein the circuit is completed by current passing through the metalized portion of the ceramic-metallic heating assembly. 15. The device of claim 1, further comprising: a temperature sensor disposed within the ceramic body. 16. The device of claim 1, wherein the pair of opposing elements comprise a pair of surgical tweezers. 17. The device of claim 1, wherein the ceramic body is formed by flame spraying ceramic material onto a metal member. 18. The device of claim 1, wherein the ceramic-metallic heating assembly is a resistance heating system heated by a current passing therethrough. 19. The device of claim 1, wherein the ceramic body has a concave upper surface. 20. A tissue cutting and sealing device, comprising: a pair of opposing elements dimensioned to grasp tissue therebetween; and a ceramic-metallic heating assembly on at least one of the opposing elements, wherein the ceramic-metallic heating assembly comprises: a ceramic body; a metalized portion of the ceramic body extending in a longitudinal direction along an upper surface of the ceramic body, wherein the metalized portion of the ceramic body sticks upwardly from a topmost surface of the ceramic body, and wherein the ceramic body has a generally crescent-shaped cross section transverse to the longitudinal direction and defining an air gap between the ceramic body and an inner surface of said at least one of the opposing elements such that passing of heat from the ceramic body to the heating assembly is avoided; and a surgical device main body, wherein the pair of opposing elements are disposed at a distal end of the surgical device main body, wherein the at least one heating assembly is disposed in an extended portion of the surgical device main body, and wherein a bottom surface of the ceramic body is curved such that only the edges of the bottom surface of the ceramic body contact the extended portion of the surgical device main body. 21. The device of claim 20, wherein the ceramic body has a concave upper surface.