Patent ID: 8394087

Claim:
An electrosurgical system, comprising: an electrosurgical device adapted to direct energy to tissue; an electrosurgical generator for activating the electrosurgical device; a fluid path leading to the electrosurgical device; an optical sensor unit operably associated with the fluid path, the optical sensor unit including: a light-emitting element to generate light output; and a light-receiving element to collect light outputted from the light-emitting element, wherein the light-emitting element and the light-receiving element are disposed such that light output from the light-emitting element passes through the fluid path to the light-receiving element; wherein the optical sensor unit is capable of detecting an air bubble in the fluid path passing through the optical sensor unit using a sensed characteristic of light collected at the light-receiving element; a flow-diverter apparatus operably associated with the optical sensor unit and disposed in fluid communication with the fluid path between the optical sensor unit and the electrosurgical device; and a container for collecting fluid diverted by the flow-diverter apparatus.