Auxiliary electrosurgical return via cutting guard

A tissue guard for use with a bipolar an electrosurgical device, comprising:

• a body defining an open proximal end, an open distal end, and a lumen extending therethrough between the open proximal end and the open distal end, the body including an elongated channel defined therealong, the elongated channel terminating in a pocket defined through an outer peripheral surface thereof, the pocket housing a wire connector therein, the distal end of the body being oblong and including a long petal and a short petal, the elongated channel providing rigidity to the long petal;
• a ground tab disposed along an inner peripheral surface of the lumen in concentric registration with the pocket and in electrical communication with the connector;
• an electrically conductive layer disposed along an inner peripheral surface of the lumen of the body, the electrically conductive layer disposed in electrical communication with the ground tab;
• and
• a ground wire electrically coupled at a first end to the wire connector and extending through the elongated channel to a second end adapted to electrically engage a coupling attached to a return from the electrosurgical device thereby providing electrical continuity between the electrically conductive layer and the return.