Plasma resection electrode

1. An electrosurgical instrument connectable to an electrical power supply circuit, comprising:

a conductive member having a member proximal end and a member distal end, the conductive member having a longitudinal axis;

an active electrode coupled to said member distal end, said active electrode comprising: a proximal face, a bottom surface, and a top surface opposite said bottom surface, with said proximal face spanning between said bottom surface and said top surface;

wherein said bottom surface of said active electrode is exposed for contact against patient tissue to be ablated; and

at least one groove formed into said proximal face, said groove having a longitudinal axis extending in a direction from said bottom surface to said top surface;

a floating electrode, said floating electrode being electrically isolated from said conductive member and constructed and arranged so that it is not electrically connected directly to the electrical power supply circuit when the electrosurgical instrument is connected to the electrical power supply circuit; and

an insulator disposed between said active electrode and said floating electrode.

2. The electrosurgical instrument of claim 1 ,

wherein said active electrode further comprises:

at least one second groove formed into said proximal face, said at least one second groove oriented in a different direction than said at least one first groove and forming at least one intersection therewith.

3. The electrosurgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein said proximal face is concave.

4. The electrosurgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein said proximal face is convex.

5. The electrosurgical instrument of claim 1 , said active electrode further comprising an opposite distal face, a first side joining said proximal face and said opposite distal face, and a second side opposite the first side and joining said proximal face and said opposite distal face; and

wherein said insulator extends over at least a portion of said first and second sides.

6. The electrosurgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein said active electrode further comprises at least one coupler of a first sex thereon;

wherein said insulator further comprises at least one coupler of a second sex thereon; and

wherein said at least one coupler of a first sex mates with respective ones of said at least one coupler of a second sex.

7. The instrument of claim 6 , wherein:

said at least one coupler of a first sex comprises at least one male T-shaped protrusion; and

said at least one coupler of a second sex comprises at least one female T-shaped slot.

8. The instrument of claim 6 , wherein:

said at least one coupler of a first sex comprises at least one tab; and

said at least one coupler of a second sex comprises at least one cavity.

9. The electrosurgical instrument of claim 1 ,

wherein said active electrode further comprises at least one first hole formed therein;

wherein said insulator comprises at least one second hole formed therein; and

wherein said member distal end extends through said at least one first hole and into said at least one second hole.

10. The electrosurgical instrument of claim 1 ,

wherein said active electrode further comprises at least one first hole formed therein;

wherein said insulator comprises at least one first protrusion formed thereon; and

wherein said at least one first protrusion extends into a respective one of said at least one first hole.

11. The instrument of claim 10 , wherein said member distal end extends into said at least one first hole.

12. The electrosurgical instrument of claim 1 ,

wherein said active electrode comprises an opposite distal face opposite said proximal face, a first side joining said proximal face and said opposite distal face, and a second side opposite said first side and joining said proximal face and said opposite distal face; and

wherein said insulator extends over at least a first portion of said proximal face.

13. The instrument of claim 12 , wherein:

said first portion of said proximal face lies in a first plane; and

a second portion of said proximal face lies in a second plane.

14. The instrument of claim 13 , wherein said first and second planes are parallel.

15. The electrosurgical instrument of claim 1 ,

wherein a first cross-sectional area of said member distal end is larger than a second cross-sectional area of said member proximal end;

said active electrode has an active electrode distal face, said active electrode further having a passage formed therethrough, wherein said passage comprises a recess at said active electrode distal face, said passage having a larger cross-sectional area at said active electrode distal face than at said active electrode proximal face; and

wherein said conductive member is disposed in said passage such that said member distal end is positioned within said recess.

16. An electrosurgical instrument connectable to an electrical power supply circuit, comprising:

a first conductive member having a first member proximal end and a first member distal end;

a second member having a second member proximal end and a second member distal end;

an active electrode coupled to said first member distal end, wherein the active electrode has a proximal face, a bottom surface, and a top surface opposite said bottom surface, with said proximal face spanning between said bottom surface and said top surface, wherein said bottom surface is exposed for contact against patient tissue to be ablated, and wherein a plurality of grooves are formed into said proximal face having longitudinal axes extending in a direction from said bottom surface to said top surface;

a floating electrode coupled to said second member distal end;

an insulator disposed between said active electrode and said floating electrode;

wherein said floating electrode is electrically isolated from said active electrode and is constructed and arranged so that it is not electrically connected directly to the electrical power supply circuit when the electrosurgical instrument is connected to the electrical power supply circuit; and

wherein said second member is electrically isolated from said active electrode.

17. The instrument of claim 16 , wherein said first member distal end is welded to said active electrode.

18. An electrosurgical instrument connectable to an electrical power supply circuit, comprising:

a member having a first member proximal end and a second member proximal end, said first and second member proximal ends being joined at a member distal end thereby forming a loop;

an active electrode having an active electrode proximal face, an active electrode distal face, an active electrode bottom surface exposed for contact against patient tissue to be ablated, and an active electrode top surface opposite said active electrode bottom surface, said proximal face having a plurality of grooves formed therein, said grooves extending from a bottom edge of said proximal face bounding said bottom surface to a position intermediate said bottom edge of said proximal face and a top edge of said proximal face bounding said top surface, and said active electrode further having a first passage formed therethrough and a second passage formed therethrough, said member passing through said first and second passages;

a floating electrode, said floating electrode being electrically isolated from said member and constructed and arranged so that it is not electrically connected directly to the electrical power supply circuit when the electrosurgical instrument is connected to the electrical power supply circuit; and

an insulator disposed between said active electrode and said floating electrode.

19. An electrosurgical instrument connectable to an electrical power supply circuit, comprising:

a conductive member having a member proximal end and a member distal end;

an active electrode coupled to said member distal end, said active electrode having a substantially flat proximal face, a bottom surface, a top surface opposite said bottom surface, with said proximal face spanning between said bottom surface and said top surface, and a plurality of grooves formed into said proximal face, said grooves extending from a bottom edge of said proximal face bounding said bottom surface to a position intermediate said bottom edge of said proximal face and a top edge of said proximal face bounding said top surface;

a floating electrode, said floating electrode being electrically isolated from said conductive member and constructed and arranged so that it is not electrically connected directly to the electrical power supply circuit when the electrosurgical instrument is connected to the electrical power supply circuit;

an insulator disposed between said active electrode and said floating electrode; and

a dielectric shield disposed over a first portion of said active electrode, said dielectric shield having a melting point high enough to prevent the dielectric shield from melting when the active electrode is energized.

20. The electrosurgical instrument of claim 19 , wherein said dielectric shield is additionally disposed over a second portion of said conductive member.