Electrosurgical pencil with drag sensing capability

An electrosurgical instrument adapted for selective connection to an electrosurgical generator, the electrosurgical instrument comprising:

• a housing;
• an electrocautery blade supported within the housing and extending partially therefrom, the blade adapted to connect to the electrosurgical generator which provides electrosurgical energy to the blade;
• an activation switch adapted for selective connection to the generator which permits selective activation of the electrocautery blade;
• a strain gauge in communication with the electrocautery blade for measuring a displacement of the electrocautery blade, the strain gauge configured to produce an electrical signal in the form of a measured drag signal;
• and
• a drag evaluation circuit operatively connected to the strain gauge, wherein the drag evaluation circuit receives the measured drag signal from the strain gauge, and compares said measured drag signal against an initial preset drag value, wherein the electrosurgical generator adjusts at least one parameter to compensate for at least one of an increase, a decrease and a non-change in displacement of the electrocautery blade,
• wherein the drag evaluation circuit is in operative communication with a feedback correction circuit for transmitting an evaluation signal thereto,
• wherein if the compared said measured drag signal is one of higher and lower than the initial preset drag value then the feedback correction circuit resets the initial preset drag value to a value that is one of higher and lower than said initial preset drag value.