A sterile hand-held instrument used with a neutral plasma surgical system control unit to coagulate, cut, and/or vaporize/ablate tissue during open and/or laparoscopic surgery. Inert argon (Ar) gas is excited (ionized) in the instrument by a series of internal bipolar electrodes to generate plasma (atomic ions and free electrons) which emerges from the tip of the handpiece in a stream to release kinetic and thermal energy upon contact with tissue. Operation is regulated using a hand-control on the instrument or via a connected foot-switch. The instrument is typically in the form of a pen/pencil with attached cables for connection to the control unit. This is a single-use device.