Patent ID: 7572255

Claim:
An electrosurgical instrument for providing pressurized ionized gas to a surgical site, comprising: a hand-held applicator having proximal and distal ends, a gas delivery member adapted to deliver pressurized ionizable gas to the proximity of an electrode located adjacent the distal end of the applicator, the electrode being adaptable to connect to a source of electrosurgical energy; and a portable actuator assembly configured to selectively store a source of pressurized ionizable gas therein, the portable actuator assembly including a housing having an actuator pivotably secured to the housing and at least one controller located within the housing and coupled to the source of pressurized ionizable gas that controls the delivery of the gas from the supply of pressurized ionizable gas to the hand-held applicator and controls the delivery of electrosurgical energy to the hand-held applicator, wherein the housing actuator is configured to engage the at least one controller upon actuation; and wherein upon actuation of the at least one controller by the housing actuator, gas from the source of pressurized ionizable gas is delivered to the proximity of the electrode though the gas delivery member and electrosurgical energy is delivered to the electrode, such that an ionized gas is emitted from the distal end of the hand-held applicator.