#$%^&*AU2011254083B220130523.pdf#####DEVICES FOR DETECTING HEATING UNDER A PATIENT RETURN ELECTRODE Abstract An apparatus (11) for predicting the temperature at a return electrode (14) in a monopolar electrosurgical system, comprising: a detecting apparatus (40) adapted to connect between a return electrode (14) and an electrosurgical power source (10) that supplies electrosurgical energy to an active electrode (14), the detecting apparatus (40) including: an analog circuit (50a) configured to sense a change in an element (46) wherein the element (46) is selected from a group consisting of current, voltage, impedance or temperature, and any combination thereof wherein the analog circuit (50a) includes heating and cooling properties proportional to heating and cooling properties of skin adjacent the return electrode (14) and a comparator (50b) configured to compare the change to a threshold value wherein the detecting apparatus (40) predicts skin temperature of the patient at the return electrode (14) of the monopolar electrosurgical system without contacting the patient.
