Patent ID: 8486064

Claim:
An electrosurgical instrument comprising: a. an elongate conductive shaft having a proximal end configured for connection to an electrosurgical power source and a distal end configured for connection to an electrode assembly; and b. said electrode assembly mounted to the distal end of said elongate conductive shaft that comprises an active electrode and an insulator wherein; i. said insulator is formed from a nonconductive dielectric material, comprises opposed first and second surfaces, and includes a projection on the opposed second surface that extends away from the opposed second surface and at least one hole that passes through said projection and terminates at the opposed first surface, ii. said active electrode is formed from an electrically conductive material and comprises opposed active and insulated sides connected by a peripheral edge surface, further wherein said active side comprises an exposed curvilinear ablating surface and said insulated side is in direct contact with said opposed first surface of said insulator; c. wherein said elongate conductive shaft extends through said at least one hole and passes through said opposed first and second surfaces of said insulator to be in electrical contact with said active electrode; d. further wherein a dielectric coating covers said elongate conductive shaft, extending from said elongate conductive shaft proximal end to said electrode assembly and overlapping at least a portion of said projection.