An electrosurgical apparatus (200; 500) comprising: a housing having a passage extending therethrough, the housing having a proximal end and a distal end; an electrically conducting tube having a proximal end and a distal end, the electrically conducting tube 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 with the proximal end of the outer tube coupled to the distal end of the housing, the electrically conducting tube being movable along a longitudinal axis of the housing and the outer tube; and an electrically conducting blade (118; 518) coupled to the distal end of the electrically conducting tube, wherein in a first position of the electrically conducting tube, the blade (118; 518) extends beyond the distal end of the outer tube for mechanical cutting and, in a second position of the electrically conducting tube, the blade (118; 518) is retracted within the outer tube and is energized via the electrically conducting tube to form plasma when an inert gas flows through the electrically conducting tube, wherein the electrically conducting tube is configured as a structural current limiting capacitor to limit current applied to a operative site when the electrically conducting tube is energized; characterized in that: the electrically conducting tube includes: a first, inner flow tube (212; 312; 412) having a proximal end and a distal end; a second, outer flow tube (213; 313; 413) having a proximal end and a distal end; and a cylindrical insulator (240; 340; 440) disposed around the distal end of the first, inner flow tube (212; 312; 412) for coupling the first, inner flow tube (212; 312; 412) to an inner portion of the proximal end of the second, outer flow tube (213; 313; 413), wherein an overlapping portion of the first, inner flow tube (212; 312; 412), the cylindrical insulator (240; 340; 440) and the second, outer flow tube (213; 313; 413) forms the structural current limiting capacitor. a housing having a passage extending therethrough, the housing having a proximal end and a distal end; an electrically conducting tube having a proximal end and a distal end, the electrically conducting tube 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 with the proximal end of the outer tube coupled to the distal end of the housing, the electrically conducting tube being movable along a longitudinal axis of the housing and the outer tube; and an electrically conducting blade (118; 518) coupled to the distal end of the electrically conducting tube, wherein in a first position of the electrically conducting tube, the blade (118; 518) extends beyond the distal end of the outer tube for mechanical cutting and, in a second position of the electrically conducting tube, the blade (118; 518) is retracted within the outer tube and is energized via the electrically conducting tube to form plasma when an inert gas flows through the electrically conducting tube, wherein the electrically conducting tube is configured as a structural current limiting capacitor to limit current applied to a operative site when the electrically conducting tube is energized; characterized in that: the electrically conducting tube includes: a first, inner flow tube (212; 312; 412) having a proximal end and a distal end; a second, outer flow tube (213; 313; 413) having a proximal end and a distal end; and a cylindrical insulator (240; 340; 440) disposed around the distal end of the first, inner flow tube (212; 312; 412) for coupling the first, inner flow tube (212; 312; 412) to an inner portion of the proximal end of the second, outer flow tube (213; 313; 413), wherein an overlapping portion of the first, inner flow tube (212; 312; 412), the cylindrical insulator (240; 340; 440) and the second, outer flow tube (213; 313; 413) forms the structural current limiting capacitor. the electrically conducting tube includes: a first, inner flow tube (212; 312; 412) having a proximal end and a distal end; a second, outer flow tube (213; 313; 413) having a proximal end and a distal end; and a cylindrical insulator (240; 340; 440) disposed around the distal end of the first, inner flow tube (212; 312; 412) for coupling the first, inner flow tube (212; 312; 412) to an inner portion of the proximal end of the second, outer flow tube (213; 313; 413), wherein an overlapping portion of the first, inner flow tube (212; 312; 412), the cylindrical insulator (240; 340; 440) and the second, outer flow tube (213; 313; 413) forms the structural current limiting capacitor. a first, inner flow tube (212; 312; 412) having a proximal end and a distal end; a second, outer flow tube (213; 313; 413) having a proximal end and a distal end; and a cylindrical insulator (240; 340; 440) disposed around the distal end of the first, inner flow tube (212; 312; 412) for coupling the first, inner flow tube (212; 312; 412) to an inner portion of the proximal end of the second, outer flow tube (213; 313; 413), wherein an overlapping portion of the first, inner flow tube (212; 312; 412), the cylindrical insulator (240; 340; 440) and the second, outer flow tube (213; 313; 413) forms the structural current limiting capacitor.