Patent ID: 6063075
Filing Date: 2000-05-16
Classification: A61B,Y10S

Abstract:
An electrosurgical apparatus for detecting separation of a return electrode of said electrosurgical apparatus for cutting and coagulating an organic tissue from a patient, comprising:an impedance detecting section for detecting a contact impedance between said return electrode and said patient and generating an impedance detection signal corresponding to said contact impedance;a first discrimination section for discriminating if said impedance detection signal generated by said impedance detecting section falls within a normal range of said contact impedance having predetermined upper and lower limits after said electrosurgical apparatus is powered on;a storage section for, when said first discrimination section detects that said impedance detection signal lies in said normal range, storing the then impedance detection signal as a reference signal; anda second discrimination section for discriminating if said return electrode is in an abnormal state where said return electrode is separated from said patient, based on a difference between said impedance detection signal, generated by said impedance detecting section, and said reference signal stored in said storage section.