Patent ID: 7223265

Claim:
An electrode assembly for controlling the electrosurgical arc current from an electrosurgical generator, the electrode assembly comprising: an electrode having a conductive surface adapted to connect to a source of electrosurgical energy, said electrode including a width and a length; a non-conductive, porous ceramic material substantially coating said conductive electrode, said non-conductive, porous ceramic material having a thickness and including a plurality of pores dispersed therein having a diameter and a depth, said non-conductive, porous ceramic material varying in thickness across at least one of the length and width of the electrode, wherein the diameter and the depth of said pores of said non-conductive, porous ceramic material vary across at least one of a length and a width of the electrode; and wherein upon actuation of the electrosurgical generator, electrosurgical energy from the electrosurgical generator creates an initial arc current across the conductive surface of the electrode, the initial arc current having a diameter greater than the diameter of the pore such that the initial arc current is forced to split into a plurality of subsequent arc currents having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the initial arc current in order to conduct electrosurgical energy through the pores of the non-conductive, porous ceramic material.