Patent ID: 7066936

Claim:
An electrosurgical scalpel, which comprises: a blade portion and a handle portion, the blade portion being mounted on the handle portion, the handle portion having a generally elongated shape and a proximate end for grasping by a physician and a distal end situated opposite the proximate end and on which the blade portion is mounted, the blade portion having a generally flat, planar shape and defining a sesquipolar electrode tissue cutting and vaporizing member, the blade portion having an electrically conductive front section and an electrically conductive rear section, the front and rear sections being generally co-planar with each other, and further having an electrically insulative middle section, the insulative middle section having a front side and a rear side situated opposite the front side, at least one of the middle section, the rear section and the front section having an exposed first lateral side and an exposed second lateral side situated opposite the first lateral side, the front section of the blade portion being joined to the front side of the insulative middle section, and the rear section of the blade portion being joined to the rear side of the insulative middle section, each of the front section and the rear section of the blade portion having an exposed surface area, the exposed surface area of the front section of the blade portion being less than the exposed surface area of the rear section of the blade portion, whereby the front section of the blade portion functions as an active electrode where tissue cutting and vaporization will occur, and whereby the rear section of the blade portion functions as a return electrode, the at least one of the insulating middle section, the rear section and the front section having an interior area and at least one lower conduit formed in the interior area thereof, and further having at least one port formed in at least one of the first and second lateral sides thereof, the at least one port being in fluid communication with the at least one lower conduit, the handle portion having an interior area and at least one upper conduit formed in the interior area thereof, the at least one upper conduit of the handle portion being in fluid communication with the at least one lower conduit of the at least one of the middle section, the rear section and the front section of the blade portion to allow the passage of a liquid under at least one of a positive pressure and a negative pressure to pass through the at least one upper conduit, the at least one lower conduit and the at least one port.