Abstract: Various examples of the disclosed subject matter include systems and methods to control a flowrate of a smoke evacuation system. In one example, a smoke-evacuation system includes an electrosurgical a unit (ESU) to provide electrical power to an electrosurgical tool within a surgical site. A monitoring device measures one or more electrical parameters from the electrosurgical tool and a controller estimates an amount of generated smoke within the surgical site based on the electrical parameters. The controller sets a flowrate of a suction device to remove gases within the surgical site. The flowrate of the removed gases produced is based on the estimated amount of generated smoke. The controller further controls a flowrate of an insufflation gas produced by an insufflation device where the flowrate of the insufflation gas is substantially equal to the flowrate of the gases produced by the suction device. Other systems and methods are disclosed.

Abstract: A surgical instrument includes a shaft that includes an elongated tube having distal and proximal end portions. The tube houses an electrical conductor that includes distal and portions and that extends between the proximal and distal end portions of the elongated tube. An end effector at the distal end portion of the elongated tube includes an electrode electrically coupled to the distal portion of the electrical conductor. A switch at the proximal end portion of the shaft is operatively disposed between the distal and proximal portions of the electrical conductor that is configured to electrically couple and decouple the distal and proximal portions of the electrical conductor.