Electrosurgical system

A method of controlling an electrosurgical system including an electrosurgical generator and an electrosurgical instrument connected to the generator by means of a cable, wherein the method comprises the steps of:

• (i) supplying radio frequency (RF) energy to the instrument as an RF output signal at a generator operating frequency;
• (ii) monitoring the voltage of the RF output signal at a frequency at least 30 times the generator operating frequency, the monitoring frequency being a frequency corresponding to that of a ringing signal component produced when arcing occurs at the electrosurgical instrument:
• and
• (iii) adjusting the voltage magnitude of RF output signal in response to the voltage at the monitoring frequency.

An electrosurgical system comprising;

• an electrosurgical generator for generating radio frequency (RF) energy for delivery as an RF output signal at a generator output and at a generator operating frequency;
• an electrosurgical instrument including at least one treatment electrode;
• and
• a cable for connecting the instrument to the generator output to supply the RF output signal to the said electrode;
• wherein the system further comprises an are detector having a monitoring input coupled to the cable and the instrument, and a detection output coupled to a signalling input of the generator, the arc detector being arranged to monitor via its monitoring input the supplied RF output signal, to detect in the supplied RF output signal a ringing signal component at a frequency corresponding to the resonant frequency of a resonant circuit established by the instrument together with the cable, and to produce, in response to the detected ringing signal component a detection signal at the detection output for feeding to the generator signalling input, and wherein the arc detector and the generator are arranged such that the supplied RF output signal is adjusted in response to the detection signal fed to the generator signalling input.

An electrosurgical system comprising;

• an electrosurgical generator for generating radiofrequency (RF) energy for delivery as an RF output signal at a generator output and at a generator operating frequency;
• an electrosurgical instrument including at least one treatment electrode;
• and
• a cable for connecting the instrument to the generator output to supply the RF output signal to the said electrode;
• wherein the system further comprises an arc detector having a monitoring input coupled to the cable and the instrument, and a detection output coupled to a signalling input of the generator, the arc detector being arranged to monitor via its monitoring input the supplied RF output signal, to detect in the supplied RF output signal a ringing signal component at a frequency at least 30 times the generator operating frequency, and to produce, in response to the detected ringing signal component, a detection signal at the detection output for feeding to the generator signalling input, and wherein the arc detector and the generator are arranged such that to the supplied RF output signal is adjusted in response to the detection signal fed to the generator signalling input.