Patent ID: 8597287

Claim:
A surgical system comprising: a console including a processing device; an RF generator for providing RF energy; an electrosurgical probe including a cable for connecting to the console; a powered surgical handpiece with a mechanical cutting tool connected thereto; and a controller connected to the console for providing a control signal to the processing device, the controller including a plurality of actuators comprising: a device selection actuator for providing a selection signal to the processing device to select one of the electrosurgical probe to operate in a variable mode and the powered surgical handpiece with the mechanical cutting tool for operation in a tool mode; a first actuator that is operative in the variable mode to provide a variable control signal to the processing device so that changes in the variable control signal result in the processing device providing a power level signal to the RF generator, the RF generator outputting one of different discrete power levels, the first actuator changing the variable control signal to the processing device in response to force applied thereto so that changes in the variable control signal result in changes in the discrete power level applied to the electrosurgical probe, and the first actuator being operative in the tool mode to provide power to the surgical handpiece, a second actuator that is operative in the variable mode to provide a substantially constant coagulation power value to the electrosurgical probe, the second actuator being operative in the tool mode to control oscillation or rotation speed of the mechanical cutting tool with the powered surgical handpiece; and an additional actuator, wherein one of the additional actuator, said first actuator and said second actuator is capable of selecting a fixed mode, and in response to selection of the fixed mode, the additional actuator is operative to change one of the discrete power levels for output from the RF energy generator to the electrosurgical probe only when the first actuator is not providing a variable control signal that results in the output of the discrete power level from the electrosurgical probe.