Multi-button electrosurgical apparatus

An electrosurgical apparatus comprising:

• an electrosurgical generator coupled to an electrical power supply configured to generate electrosurgical energy;
• a handpiece including:
• a housing having a passage extending therethough, the housing having a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end configured to support an electrode;
• at least four switches disposed on a surface of the housing configured to be selectively activated by a user;
• and
• three wires connected between the housing and a connector, the connector configured to be operatively coupled to the electrosurgical generator, a first wire being coupled to the electrode and configured to receive electrosurgical energy from the electrosurgical generator, a second wire being coupled to a first switch and configured to generate a first activation signal and a third wire being coupled to a second switch and configured to generate a second activation signal, wherein a third and fourth switch are coupled to the first wire and the second or third wire via a respective reactive switching element configured to generate third and forth activation signals;
• and
• at least one activation sense circuit configured to distinguish between the first, second, third and fourth activation signals and to execute a corresponding action.

An electrosurgical apparatus comprising:

• an electrosurgical generator coupled to an electrical power supply configured to generate electrosurgical energy;
• a handpiece including:
• a housing having a passage extending therethough, the housing having a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end configured to support an electrode;
• at least four switches disposed on a surface of the housing configured to be selectively activated by a user;
• and
• three wires connected between the housing and a connector, the connector configured to be operatively coupled to the electrosurgical generator, a first wire being coupled to the electrode and configured to receive electrosurgical energy from the electrosurgical generator, a second wire being coupled to a first switch and configured to generate a first activation signal and a third wire being coupled to a second switch and configured to generate a second activation signal, wherein a third and fourth switch are coupled to the first wire and the second or third wire via a respective resonant circuit configured to generate third and forth activation signals;
• and
• at least one activation sense circuit configured to distinguish between the first, second, third and fourth activation signals and to execute a corresponding action.