For which type of setting is a patient return electrode required when using bipolar instruments?

When using bipolar instruments, a patient return electrode is not required because bipolar energy is delivered between two tips of the instrument that effectively isolate the current. This means there is no return path through the patient’s body as is necessary in monopolar systems, where a return electrode provides a safe path for the electrical current to exit the body.

Bipolar devices are designed to minimize the risk of unintended thermal injury to surrounding tissues, and they achieve this by confining the energy to the tissue directly between the two electrodes. Therefore, regardless of the voltage settings, the use of a patient return electrode is unnecessary in bipolar setups, making the assertion that no settings require it accurate.

The contrast is significant when considering monopolar instruments, where the current passes through the patient, necessitating a return pathway to complete the circuit. Thus, understanding the nature of bipolar energy delivery clarifies why a patient return electrode is not part of these procedures.