Patent ID: 8709010

Claim:
An electrosurgical system including; i) an electrosurgical generator, the electrosurgical generator including; a) at least one source of radio frequency (RF) power, b) a plurality of output connections, only one of the output connections at any one time being active in that it is able to receive radio frequency power from the source, c) selection means adapted to change the active output connection, and d) a controller adapted to control the supply of radio frequency power from the source to the active output connection; ii) a plurality of electrosurgical assemblies, each including an electrosurgical instrument and a cable connecting the electrosurgical instrument to one of the output connections, a first electrosurgical assembly being connected to a first output connection of the generator, and a second electrosurgical assembly being connected to a second output connection of the generator, the electrosurgical instrument being connected to the active output connection being designated the active instrument, at least one of the first and second electrosurgical assemblies including a handswitch assembly located on the electrosurgical instrument, the handswitch assembly comprising at least three different buttons, each of the at least three different buttons being capable of being manipulated independently and being adapted to cause at least three different actions to occur, an activation of a first button causing the controller to supply radio frequency power to the electrosurgical assembly in a first mode of operation, an activation of a second button causing a tissue cutting action, and an activation of a third button causing the selection means to change the active output connection to a different output connection.