Arthroscopic devices and methods

An arthroscopic cutting probe, comprising:

• a proximal hub;
• an elongated shaft assembly that extends distally from the proximal hub to a working end of the arthroscopic cutting probe, the elongated shaft assembly comprising an outer metal sleeve and an inner metal sleeve that is rotationally disposed in a longitudinal bore of the outer metal sleeve, wherein the outer metal sleeve is electrically couplable to an RF source and includes an exterior, the outer metal sleeve further including an outer cutting window and exposed window edges surrounding the outer cutting window at the working end of the arthroscopic cutting probe, wherein, at the working end of the arthroscopic cutting probe, said outer metal sleeve is electrically insulated over the exterior of the outer metal sleeve while leaving the exposed window edges uninsulated and functioning as an active electrode in the arthroscopic cutting probe when the outer metal sleeve is electrically coupled to the RF source, the exposed window edges functioning as the only active electrode at the working end of the arthroscopic cutting probe, the exposed window edges comprising sharp edges for cutting tissue, wherein the inner metal sleeve is electrically couplable to the RF source and includes an exterior, a distal end, a proximal end and a longitudinal passageway therein, and wherein, at the working end of the arthroscopic cutting probe, said inner metal sleeve is electrically insulated over the exterior of the inner metal sleeve while maintaining an electrically conductive inner surface that functions as a return electrode in the arthroscopic cutting probe when the inner metal sleeve is electrically coupled to the RF source, wherein, when the inner metal sleeve is electrically coupled to the RF source, the electrically conductive inner surface maintained by the inner metal sleeve functions as the only return electrode at the working end of the arthroscopic cutting probe;
• and
• a dielectric cutting member attached to the distal end of the inner metal sleeve, wherein said dielectric cutting member has a distal end, a proximal end and a central passage therein, the central passage extending from an inner cutting window in the dielectric cutting member at the distal end of the dielectric cutting member to an opening at the proximal end of the dielectric cutting member, wherein the opening at the proximal end of the dielectric cutting member is contiguous with the longitudinal passageway in the inner metal sleeve,
• wherein the inner metal sleeve is rotatable relative to the outer metal sleeve to cause the inner cutting window to rotate past the outer cutting window to resect tissue received in the inner cutting window through the outer cutting window while the exposed window edges remain stationary relative to the rotating inner metal sleeve.