Smart return electrode pad

1. An electrosurgical return electrode, comprising:

a return electrode pad including a patient-contacting surface configured to conduct electrosurgical energy;

a sensor circuit coupled to and disposed on the return electrode pad, the sensor circuit being configured to monitor at least one of a return electrode pad property and a tissue property to generate sensor data; and

a control circuit coupled to and disposed on the return electrode pad and to the sensor circuit, the control circuit being configured to receive and process sensor data from the sensor circuit and relay the processed sensor data to an etectrosurgical energy source.

2. An electrosurgical return electrode according to claim 1 , wherein the return electrode pad further comprises a holding substrate, the sensor circuit and the control circuit being coupled to the holding substrate.

3. An electrosurgical return electrode according to claim 2 , wherein the holding substrate is configured to electrically insulate the control circuit and the sensor circuit from the patient-contacting surface.

4. An electrosurgical return electrode according to claim 2 , wherein the holding substrate includes metal traces deposited thereon adapted for interconnection to at least one of the control circuit and the sensor circuit.

5. An electrosurgical return electrode according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor circuit includes at least one temperature sensor array that defines at least one temperature monitoring zone in the return electrode pad, the at least one of the temperature sensor array includes least one diode having a predetermined forward voltage drop that is indicative of temperature of the at least one temperature monitoring zone.

6. An electrosurgical return electrode according to claim 5 , wherein the at least one temperature sensor array includes at least one resistor coupled in series with the at least one diode.

7. An electrosurgical return electrode according to claim 1 , wherein the control circuit includes at least one of an analog-to-digital converter, a digital-to-analog converter, a microprocessor, a DC-DC converter, a serial transceiver, and an optical coupler, a microcontroller, a resistor, a capacitor, an oscillator and a field-programmable gate array.

8. A method for performing electrosurgery, comprising:

providing an electrosurgical return electrode that includes a return electrode pad having a patient-contacting surface configured to conduct electrosurgical energy, a sensor circuit coupled to and disposed on the return electrode pad, and a control circuit coupled to and disposed on the return electrode pad and to the sensor circuit;

placing the electrosurgical return electrode in contact with a patient;

generating electrosurgical energy via an electrosurgical generator;

supplying the electrosurgical energy to the patient via an active electrode;

monitoring at least one of a return electrode pad property and a tissue property via the sensor circuit to generate sensor data; and

receiving and processing the sensor data from the sensor circuit at the control circuit and relaying the processed sensor data to an electrosurgical energy source.

9. A method according to claim 8 , wherein in the step of providing an electrosurgical return electrode, the return electrode pad further comprises a holding substrate and the sensor circuit and the control circuit are coupled to the holding substrate.

10. A method according to claim 9 , further comprising electrically insulating the control circuit and the sensor circuit from the patient-contacting surface via the holding substrate.

11. A method according to claim 9 , wherein the holding substrate includes metal traces deposited thereon adapted for interconnection of at least one to the control circuit and the sensor circuit.

12. A method according to claim 8 , wherein the sensor circuit includes at least one temperature sensor array which defines at least one temperature monitoring zone in the return electrode pad, the at least one of the temperature sensor array includes least one diode having a predetermined forward voltage drop which is indicative of temperature of the at least one temperature monitoring zone.

13. A method according to claim 12 , further comprising the step of monitoring the predetermined forward voltage drop to measure the temperature of the at least one temperature monitoring zone.

14. A method according to claim 12 , wherein the at least one temperature sensor array includes at least one resistor coupled in series with the at least one diode.

15. An electrosurgical system for performing electrosurgery, the electrosurgical system comprising:

an etectrosurgical generator configured to provide electrosurgical energy;

an electrosurgical return electrode including a return electrode pad that includes a patient-contacting surface configured to conduct electrosurgical energy, a sensor circuit coupled to and disposed on the return electrode pad, the sensor circuit being configured to monitor at least one of a return electrode pad property and a tissue property to generate sensor data, and a control circuit coupled to and disposed on the return electrode pad and to the sensor circuit, the control circuit being configured to receive and process sensor data from the sensor circuit and relay the processed sensor data to the electrosurgical generator; and

an active electrode to supply electrosurgical energy to a patient.

16. An electrosurgical system according to claim 15 , wherein the return electrode pad further comprises a holding substrate, the sensor circuit and the control circuit being coupled to the holding substrate.

17. An electrosurgical system according to claim 16 , wherein the holding substrate is configured to electrically insulate the control circuit and the sensor circuit from the patient-contacting surface.

18. An electrosurgical system according to claim 16 , wherein the holding substrate includes metal traces deposited thereon adapted for interconnection of at least one of the control circuit and the sensor circuit.

19. An electrosurgical system according to claim 15 , wherein the sensor circuit includes at least one temperature sensor array which defines at least one temperature monitoring zone in the return electrode pad, the at least one of the temperature sensor array includes least one diode having a predetermined forward voltage drop which is indicative of temperature of the at least one temperature monitoring zone.

20. An electrosurgical system according to claim 19 , wherein the at least one temperature sensor array includes at least one resistor coupled in series with the at least one diode.