Patent ID: 7465302

Claim:
A system for performing an electrosurgical procedure comprising: an electrosurgical instrument comprising an active electrode and a conductive body, wherein the active electrode is operatively coupled to the conductive body, but when the electrosurgical instrument is not engaged in the electrosurgical procedure, the active electrode is electrically isolated from the conductive body, and wherein the active electrode is configured to impart, when coupled with an electrosurgical generator, a voltage to a region of a patient so as to alter tissue in the region of the patient; a return electrode coupled between the patient and the electrosurgical generator; a low impedance current path between the conductive body and a reference voltage; current limiting means for limiting current flow from the active electrode to the reference voltage through the patient, conductive body and the low impedance path; and a monitor configured to provide a control signal to the electrosurgical generator that is responsive to conduction between the conductive body and the active electrode, and wherein the monitor is configured to provide the control signal to permit the electrosurgical generator to continue to impart the voltage to the active electrode at a non-zero level during a tolerated period of time in response to conduction between the conductive body and the active electrode exceeding a first threshold during the tolerated period of time, and wherein the monitor is configured to provide the control signal to reduce power that the electrosurgical generator imparts to the active electrode in response to the conduction between the conductive body and the active electrode exceeding the first threshold for more than the tolerated period of time.