Disposable electrode switch

Claim 1

Means for discharging current into a human body including a surgical forceps made of electrically conducting material and having two opposed legs joined together at one end and adapted to be brought together at their said opposite ends by pressure applied to said legs, said forceps being connected to an electrosurgical circuit of the type having a direct current control portion, an alternating current work portion and means for triggering flow of said alternating current in said work portion when said control circuit portion is completed through said patient, the improvement comprising a disposable switch means for connecting said forceps to said electrosurgical circuit, said switch means comprising: a. a body member of an insulating material having a groove adapted to receive therein one leg of said forceps in snap-on fashion so that said body member is detachably attachable to said forceps; b. a switch terminal on said body member insulated from said one leg and adapted to contact the opposed leg of said forceps when pressure is applied to said forceps to bring the free ends of said legs together; and c. a single lead insulated from said forceps and having one end electrically connected to said switch terminal and another end attachable to said electrosurgical circuit for conducting both direct and alternating currents.