Short circuit error trapping with band between trigger and escape values in electrosurgical systems

Apparatus and associated methods relate to controlling electrical power of an electrotherapeutic signal that is provided to a biological tissue engaged by an electrosurgical instrument during a medical procedure. Electrical power-a product of a voltage difference across and an electrical current conducted by the engaged biological tissue-is controlled according to a therapeutic schedule. The electrotherapeutic schedule can be reduced or terminated in response to a termination criterion being met. In some examples, the termination criterion is a current characteristic, such as, for example, a decrease in current conducted by the engaged biological tissue. In some examples, the termination criterion is a biological tissue resistance characteristic, such as, for example, an increase in the biological tissue resistance that exceeds a predetermined delta resistance value.