Abstract: An improved electrosurgical instrument and method is disclosed for reducing smoke generation at a surgical site. The electrosurgical instrument comprises a metal body having an outer insulating layer to reduce thermal/electrical discharge from non-functional portions of the instrument. In one aspect of the invention, an insulating layer having a thermal conductance of about 1.2 W/cm2° K and a dielectric withstand strength of at least about 50 volts is employed. Such insulating layer may advantageously comprise silicon and/or carbon. In another aspect of the invention, the metal body is provided to have a thermal conductivity of at least about 0.35 W/cm° K, and may advantageously comprise a metal selected from the group: gold, silver, aluminum, copper tantalum, tungsten, columbium and molybdenum. In yet a further aspect, the metal body may include an intermediate layer that defines a peripheral edge portion of reduced cross-section (e.g., about 0.