Patent ID: 7166102

Claim:
A semi-insulating member for use with a separate conducting element to provide a return path for electrosurgical current used in electrosurgery, the separate conducting element being electrically coupled to an electrosurgical generator, the member comprising: a sheet of material enclosed by an insulating sleeve, said sheet with said insulating sleeve having an effective bulk impedance equal to or greater than about 4,000 Ω·cm when said insulating sleeve is substantially in contact with at least a part of the separate conducting element such that the combination of said sheet, said insulating sleeve, and the separate conducting element are self-limiting so that the electrosurgical current is limited to safe thresholds so as to prevent an undesirable patient burn at a contact area between a patient and said sheet, said insulating sleeve, or the separate conducting element in the event of an accidental reduction in the contact area below a threshold level.