Patent ID: 6905496

Claim:
An electrosurgical system that is capable of performing an electrosurgical procedure while cooling the surgical site before, during or after the surgical procedure, comprising: a) a handpiece for connection to an electrosurgical generator, said handpiece being capable of receiving an electrosurgical electrode for applying electrosurgical currents to the surgical site when the electrosurgical generator is energized, b) a pressurized cryogenic or coolant fluid container having activating means for discharging cryogenic or coolant fluid from the pressurized fluid container when activated, c) fluid delivery means mounted on the outside of the handpiece and connected to the container for directing the fluid when discharged from the container directly to the tissue at the surgical site, d) first means associated with the handpiece for energizing the electrosurgical generator, e) second means associated with the handpiece for activating the activating means of the container to discharge the fluid from the container such that it is delivered to the fluid delivery means and thus applied directly to the surgical site to cool same.