Yes, as far as I'm aware, recommendations are usually for the return path to be kept as short as possible i.e. the site of electrosurgery to neutral plate distance, hence return pathway impedance, is minimised; as is the RF current pathway within the patient. The benefit is that a lower power settings are usually required for the desired effect.
Also there's less opportunity or likelihood for RF leakage currents or even return currents to preferentially pass through lower impedance tissue (that may also be more sensitive to RF heating effects) than flow through some of the tissues between the surgical site and return circuit. A longer active to return distance may increase the opportunity for this.
My opinion is that operators should use a device specifically designed for dual operation if one is available - the functional aspects, monitoring, alarm functions and output interlocks are built-in.
