Patent ID: 8361065
Filing Date: 2013-01-29
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. An electrosurgical instrument or system for selectively ablating or coagulating tissue at a surgical site during a surgical procedure, the electrosurgical instrument or system being switchable between an ablation mode and a coagulation mode, the electrosurgical instrument or system comprising: an elongate probe having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion; a first electrode positioned at the distal end portion of the elongate probe, the first electrode having a first surface area so as to generate a first current density sufficient to ablate tissue when a first amount of power is delivered to the first electrode during operation in an ablation mode; a coagulation electrode positioned at the distal end portion and electrically isolated from the first electrode, the coagulation electrode having a second surface area that is at least 10% greater than the first surface area so as to generate a second current density that is less than the first current density so as to coagulate tissue when a second amount of power greater than the first amount of power is delivered to the coagulation electrode during operation in a coagulation mode; and a user operable switch electrically coupled to the first electrode and to the coagulation electrode for selectively delivering power from a power generator to one or both of the first electrode or coagulation electrode, the user operable switch providing user selectable switching between the ablation mode and the coagulation mode, wherein: