An electrosurgical apparatus (100; 200; 500) comprising: a housing having a passage extending therethrough, the housing having a proximal end and a distal end; an electrically conducting tube (122; 212, 213; 312, 313; 412, 413) having a proximal end and a distal end, the electrically conducting tube (122; 212, 213; 312, 313; 412, 413) being disposed in the passage of the housing; an insulating outer tube having a proximal end and a distal end, the outer tube disposed around the electrically conducting tube (122; 212, 213; 312, 313; 412, 413) with the proximal end of the outer tube coupled to the distal end of the housing, the electrically conducting tube (122; 212, 213; 312, 313; 412, 413) being movable along a longitudinal axis of the housing and the outer tube between a first position and a second position; and a planar surgical blade (118, 518) for mechanical cutting made of an electrically conducting material, wherein the blade (118, 518) is coupled to an inner circumference of the distal end of the electrically conducting tube (122; 212, 213; 312, 313; 412, 413) such that two gas passageways (142, 144) are formed on both sides of the blade (118; 518), wherein in the first position of the electrically conducting tube (122; 212, 213; 312, 313; 412, 413), the blade (118; 518) extends beyond the distal end of the outer tube for mechanical cutting and, in the second position of the electrically conducting tube (122; 212, 213; 312, 313; 412, 413), the blade (118; 518) is retracted within the outer tube, wherein the electrically conducting tube (122; 212, 213; 312, 313; 412, 413) is adapted to conduct energy to a tip of the blade (118; 518) for electrically energizing the blade (118; 518) in the first position and the second position, and wherein the electrically conducting tube (122; 212, 213; 312, 313; 412, 413) and the gas passageways (142, 144) are adapted to supply inert gas from the proximal end of the housing through the electrically conducting tube (122; 212, 213; 312, 313; 412, 413) to the tip of the blade (118; 518) for generating plasma in the second position. a housing having a passage extending therethrough, the housing having a proximal end and a distal end; an electrically conducting tube (122; 212, 213; 312, 313; 412, 413) having a proximal end and a distal end, the electrically conducting tube (122; 212, 213; 312, 313; 412, 413) being disposed in the passage of the housing; an insulating outer tube having a proximal end and a distal end, the outer tube disposed around the electrically conducting tube (122; 212, 213; 312, 313; 412, 413) with the proximal end of the outer tube coupled to the distal end of the housing, the electrically conducting tube (122; 212, 213; 312, 313; 412, 413) being movable along a longitudinal axis of the housing and the outer tube between a first position and a second position; and a planar surgical blade (118, 518) for mechanical cutting made of an electrically conducting material, wherein the blade (118, 518) is coupled to an inner circumference of the distal end of the electrically conducting tube (122; 212, 213; 312, 313; 412, 413) such that two gas passageways (142, 144) are formed on both sides of the blade (118; 518), wherein in the first position of the electrically conducting tube (122; 212, 213; 312, 313; 412, 413), the blade (118; 518) extends beyond the distal end of the outer tube for mechanical cutting and, in the second position of the electrically conducting tube (122; 212, 213; 312, 313; 412, 413), the blade (118; 518) is retracted within the outer tube, wherein the electrically conducting tube (122; 212, 213; 312, 313; 412, 413) is adapted to conduct energy to a tip of the blade (118; 518) for electrically energizing the blade (118; 518) in the first position and the second position, and wherein the electrically conducting tube (122; 212, 213; 312, 313; 412, 413) and the gas passageways (142, 144) are adapted to supply inert gas from the proximal end of the housing through the electrically conducting tube (122; 212, 213; 312, 313; 412, 413) to the tip of the blade (118; 518) for generating plasma in the second position.