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An electrosurgical system and method for ablating, resecting, or cutting body structures, with minimal or no damage to tissue adjacent to the treatment site. The system includes an electrosurgical probe having a shaft with a shaft distal end bifurcated to provide first and second arms. First and sec

An electrosurgical system and method for ablating, resecting, or cutting body structures, with minimal or no damage to tissue adjacent to the treatment site. The system includes an electrosurgical probe having a shaft with a shaft distal end bifurcated to provide first and second arms. First and second electrode supports are disposed on the first and second arms, respectively. At least one active electrode, in the form of a loop or partial loop, is arranged between the first and second electrode supports. A return electrode, also in the form of a loop or partial loop, is arranged between the first and second electrode supports distal to the active electrode. The active and return electrodes are configured to promote substantially high electric field intensities and associated high current densities between the active portion and the target site when a high frequency voltage is applied to the electrodes. These high current densities are sufficient to break down the tissue by processes including molecular dissociation of tissue components. In one embodiment, the high frequency voltage imparts energy to the target site to effect the vaporization and volumetric removal of a layer of tissue without causing substantial tissue damage beyond the layer of tissue ablated. In another embodiment, a fragment of target tissue is removed, with minimal or no damage to surrounding tissue, by a process including the molecular dissociation of tissue components, and the tissue fragment is retrieved for biopsy.

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What is claimed is: 1. An electrode assembly comprising: an active electrode coupled to a high frequency power supply, the active electrode having an active surface area; a return electrode spaced apart from the active electrode, the return electrode comprising a length of a substrate wire coupled

What is claimed is: 1. An electrode assembly comprising: an active electrode coupled to a high frequency power supply, the active electrode having an active surface area; a return electrode spaced apart from the active electrode, the return electrode comprising a length of a substrate wire coupled to the high frequency power supply and a coil comprised of a coil wire encircling at least a portion of the length of the substrate wire, the return electrode having a return surface area, wherein the return surface area is greater than the active surface area and wherein the current density is lower at a surface of the return electrode than at a surface of the active electrode; wherein the substrate wire and the coil are separated from the active electrode by an electrode gap, the electrode gap substantially constant over a length of the active electrode; and wherein a diameter of the substrate wire is greater than a diameter of the coil wire. 2. The electrode assembly of claim 1, wherein the coil is fixed to the substrate wire. 3. The electrode assembly of claim 1, wherein the coil is movable. 4. The electrode assembly of claim 1, wherein the ratio of the return surface area to the active surface area is in the range from about 1.1:1 to about 4:1. 5. The electrode assembly of claim 1, wherein the active and return electrodes substantially lie in a first plane and a second plane, respectively, and wherein the first and second planes are substantially parallel to each other. 6. The electrode assembly of claim 1, wherein the active electrode and substrate wire have substantially similar shapes. 7. The electrode assembly of claim 1, wherein the active electrode and substrate wire have a shape selected from the group comprising a substantially U-shaped, C-shaped, D-shaped and V-shaped. 8. The electrode assembly of claim 1, wherein the active and return electrodes have substantially similar orientations. 9. The electrode assembly of claim 1, wherein the return electrode is located distal to the active electrode. 10. An electrosurgical probe comprising: a shaft having a distal end; an electrode assembly as recited in claim 1 disposed on said distal end, wherein said coil wire is helically wrapped around said substrate wire.