the present invention is a means to visually annunciate when an electrosurgical instrument is active by detecting the accompanying electric field and ionizing a gas filled lamp . this visual indication alerts surgeons , and bystanders , that the device is operational thereby mitigating the possibility of injuring a patient . the device is comprised of an electrically insulated enclosure filled with a gas in close proximity , but without electrical contact , to a surgical handpiece connected by cable to a radio frequency current generator . currently electrosurgical equipment have visual and audible annunciation when active but only on the radio frequency current generator that is usually located some distance away from the patients bed side . this makes it difficult to see or hear annunciations especially during procedures that require intense concentration . this invention provides a visible indication that the device is active on the handpiece where the surgeon &# 39 ; s attention is focused when performing surgery . in addition , this invention uses technology that does not require any wiring or electrical contact with electrosurgical handpieces , is inexpensive , and can be used with existing electrosurgical equipment by simply attaching the device to the area of interest with sticky - back adhesive . further , this invention capitalizes on response to visual stimuli from the point of patient contact with the surgical handpiece and therefore does not require visual reorientation that is distracting . for simplicity in this description handpiece is synonymous with electrosurgical equipment and the invention would operate with other surgical equipment in the same fashion as described . fig1 is the preferred integral embodiment of the present invention to reduce the possibility of unintentionally cutting or cauterizing a patient , or new born , in proximately of an electrosurgical handpiece . when connector 190 is inserted into a radio frequency current generator , not shown , connector pins 160 , 170 , and 180 couple electrosurgical waveforms via cable 150 to handpiece 130 . the surgical functions shown here as exemplars are “ cut ”, selected via switch 135 , or “ coagulate ”, selected by switch 145 either of which when closed will provide a radio frequency electric field that will simultaneously ionize and illuminate internal gas indicator 125 and activate surgical blade 100 . in the event that a failure occurs in any part of the handpiece that causes an electric field to be present , in the handpiece , it will ionize internal gas indicator 125 visually annunciating its presence . alternately , if the surgeon desires to test the handpiece he / she may select any mode of operation via pressing switches 135 or 145 , without contacting the patient , and if the handpiece is operational internal gas indicator 125 will ionize and illuminate . fig2 is an accessory embodiment of the present invention that can be applied to any surgical device and is functionally the same as the previously described above except that the visual gas indicator is housed in enclosure 140 and attached in an exemplary position to handpiece 130 as indicated via adhesive 165 . fig3 is an alternate accessory embodiment of the present invention that is functionally the same as previously described except that the visual gas indicator 120 is circular and attached to handpiece 130 by grommet 115 by sliding grommet 115 over blade 100 into position indicated . some embodiments include a stand - alone visual indicator device that annunciates , without wiring or electrical contact with an object , whenever an electric field is present to reduce the possibility of unintentionally applying , or being in proximately of , radio frequency radiation with said device being comprised of : an electrically insulated enclosure filled with gas that illuminates in the presence of an electric field thereby avoiding accidents that can cause burns , lesions and other effects of electrostimulation . in other embodiments , the visual indicator device as recited immediately above in paragraph , is further being integrated into a surgical device , such as a handpiece , that visually annunciates the presence of an electric field such that an observer knows that the surgical instrument is active and thereby avoid injury or unnecessary lesions to the patient . in other embodiments , the visual indicator device as recited in paragraph , is further being encapsulated into an enclosure and applied to a surgical device , such as a handpiece , via an adhesive that visually annunciates the presence of an electric field such that an observer knows that the surgical instrument is active and thereby avoid injury or unnecessary lesions to the patient . in other embodiments , the visual indicator device as recited in paragraph , is further being fabricated into a removable circular configuration with an accompanying grommet and applied to a surgical device , such as a handpiece , by forced fitting such that it visually annunciates the presence of an electric field from any perspective such that an observer knows that the surgical instrument is active and thereby avoid injury or unnecessary lesions to the patient . in other embodiments , the visual indicator device as recited in paragraph , is further either by itself or being encapsulated into an enclosure and applied to , or in the presence of , an object in such a manner that when in the presence of an electric field the indicator illuminates alerting an observer of its presence . in other embodiments , the visual indicator device as recited in paragraph , is further either by itself encapsulated into an enclosure , or interfaced to another object or device such that when in the presence of an electric field the indicator alerts the object or observer and causes an action . in other embodiments , the visual indicator device as recited in paragraph , further includes either by itself or in communication with optical , infrared or other technology such that it may communicate with other control devices or indicator schemes . in other embodiments , the visual indicator device as recited in paragraph , is in communication with computers , programmable logic controllers or other intelligent devices to reconstruct or process information either with or without the use of external communications or an external interface . in other embodiments , the visual indicator device as recited in paragraph , is in communication with other electric field detection or process devices that are in communication with computers , programmable logic controllers or other intelligent devices to reconstruct or process information either with or without the use of external communications or an external interface . it is readily apparent to those skilled in the art of medical equipment design and from reading the foregoing that many substitutions and modifications may be made to the preferred embodiments described without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention .
a device to visually indicate the presence of electric fields in electrosurgical apparatus , without the necessity of wiring or an electrical connection to the apparatus , to visually annunciate when an electrosurgical instrument is active is disclosed . this is to alert the operating surgeon , and observing personnel , that the device is operational to mitigate the possibility of anyone inadvertently being injured . the device is comprised of an electrically insulated enclosure filled with a gas in close proximity to a surgical handpiece connected to a radio frequency current generator .