Electrosurgical system with uniformly enhanced electric field and minimal collateral damage

摘要

The present invention is directed towards an electrosurgical cutting system. The system comprises an electrically conductive blade, having an uninsulated cutting edge that is surrounded by an insulator. A source of pulsed electrical energy may be coupled to the electrically conductive blade to provide a substantially uniform and highly enhanced electric field along a cutting portion of the blade edge. The blade may have a uniform rate of erosion during use, so that both the conductive metal edge and the surrounding insulation layer erode at approximately the same rate. Also described are methods of fabricating insulated cutting electrodes, particularly blade electrodes.