Visual detection of electrocautery arcing

A method of detecting an arc during an electrocautery surgical procedure comprising:

• introducing an electrosurgical treatment instrument to a surgical site, the electrosurgical treatment instrument having an electrocautery tip configured to perform the surgical procedure and a shaft portion supporting the electrocautery tip;
• displaying a surgical video stream from a surgical camera assembly having a first field-of-view of the surgical site, the surgical video stream including an image of the electrocautery tip;
• and
• monitoring an arc detecting video stream from an arc detection camera having a second field-of-view larger than the first field-of-view, the arc detection camera being disposed to view portions of the electrosurgical treatment instrument not visible in the first field-of-view.

A system for detecting an arc during an electrocautery surgical procedure at a surgical site comprising:

• an electrosurgical treatment instrument having a working tip configured to perform the surgical procedure;
• a surgical camera having a field-of-view of the surgical site;
• an arc detecting camera having a field-of-view different than the field-of-view of the surgical camera;
• and
• an image processing controller configured to receive information from the arc detecting camera and, based on the information, configured to detect the arc during the electrocautery surgical procedure.