An electrosurgical device may include a controller including an electrical generator, a surgical probe having a distal active electrode in electrical communication with an electrical source terminal of the electrical generator, and a return pad in electrical communication with an electrical return terminal of the electrical generator. The electrical generator may be configured to source an electrical current from the electrical source terminal, in which the electrical current combines characteristics of a therapeutic electrical signal and characteristics of an excitable tissue stimulating signal. The device may be configured to determine a distance from the electrode to an excitable tissue, based at least in part on an output signal generated by a sensing device in the pad. The device may also be configured to alter one or more characteristics of the therapeutic signal when the distance from the electrode to the tissue is less than a predetermined value.
