Patent ID: 7896875

Claim:
An electrosurgical system for conveying electrosurgical power to tissue to achieve a predetermined electrosurgical effect, comprising: an independent power source comprising a negative voltage source and a positive voltage source; a radio frequency (RF) power source electrically coupled to the independent power source, wherein the independent power source and the RF power source generate power independently of each other; an electrosurgical blade electrically coupled to the RF power source, the electrosurgical blade comprising: an active electrode having a first section and a first tapered section terminating at a first conductor edge; a first insulation layer having a second tapered section overlaying the active electrode which tapers on a side of the first tapered section to expose the first conductor edge; a return electrode electrically isolated from the active electrode, the return electrode having a third section and a third taper section terminating at a second conductor edge; a second insulation layer having a fourth tapered section overlaying the return electrode which tapers on a side of the third tapered section to expose the second conductor edge; and a passive electrode electrically isolated from the active electrode and the return electrode; and a holder electrically and mechanically coupled as a unit to the electrosurgical blade and to the RF power source, the holder comprising an electrical connector configured to electrically couple the active electrode and the return electrode to radio frequency power from the RF power source and the negative voltage source and couple the passive electrode to the positive voltage source.