Patent ID: 7875026

Claim:
An electrosurgical handpiece for use by a surgeon comprising: an elongated handle member having a longitudinal axis and having at a first end a first portion for receiving and holding a nose piece and a second end, first means for removably receiving and holding an electrode, said first means being positioned on the handle member at its first end under the nose piece such that when an electrode is mounted on and gripped by the first means the gripped part projects generally parallel to the longitudinal axis in a direction frontward of the handle member, an electrode connector at the second end and connected to the first means, the nose piece having a second portion for engagement with the first portion and configured such that, when rotated while in engagement with the first portion of the handle member, the nose piece functions to cause the first means to tighten and to loosen its grip on the electrode, the nose piece having on its outer surface at a position close to the first end at least a first set of longitudinally-extending circumferentially-spaced notches, the notches being circumferentially spaced by non-notched areas such that when the handle member is held by the surgeon with a finger or fingers of the surgeon engaging one or more of the notches and the non-notched areas, the surgeon acquires improved tactile control over the electrode, the nose piece comprising on its outer surface a second set of circumferentially-spaced notches axially spaced by non-notched areas from the first set and further removed from the first end.