Patent ID: 8628524

Claim:
An electrosurgical system comprising: an electrosurgical unit for providing electrosurgical energy at an active output thereof and for controlling the flow of the energy through the active output, the electrosurgical unit having a return input; an active electrode coupled to the active output for transmitting electrosurgical energy to a patient in an electrosurgical procedure; a return electrode adapted to be coupled to the patient for receiving electrosurgical energy supplied to the patient during the electrosurgical procedure and coupled to the return input for returning it to the return input of the electrosurgical unit; a measurement circuit for measuring current at the return electrode; and a monitoring circuit coupled to the measurement circuit for receiving the measured current and determining capacitance at the return electrode, determining a type of return electrode based on the determined capacitance and determining whether to provide the electrosurgical energy at the active output based on the type of return electrode and determined capacitance, wherein the type of return electrode is a capacitive return electrode or a resistive return electrode.