RF tissue ablation apparatus and method

本发明公开了一种组织消融方法和设备。该设备包括多个RF消融电极、和多个传感器元件，每个可在要消融的组织中从退回到展开位置运动。在设备中的一个控制器件可操作地连接到电极上，用来把RF功率供给到电极，以产生从个别电极消融区域前进以填充一个组合电极消融体积的组织消融。控制器件可操作地连接到用来确定在传感器元件的区域中的消融程度的传感器元件上。因而能调节RF功率到电极的供给，以控制贯穿组合电极体积的组织消融水平和程度。电极最好是空心针形电极，经其液体能注入到组织中，而且在控制单元的控制下，调制和优化组织消融。 A method and apparatus for controlling the extent of tissue ablation are disclosed. The method utilizes delivering energy from an energy deliver device to a plurality of deployed electrodes and regulating energy delivered to the electrodes based on the temperature sensed by at least one remote elongate sensor element. A control device may be used to supply energy to the electrodes, to produce tissue ablation that advances from individual-electrode ablation regions to fill a combined-electrode ablation volume. Information from the sensor element(s) is used for determining the extent of ablation in the regions of the sensor elements. The supply of energy to the electrodes can thus be regulated to control the level and extent of tissue ablation throughout the combined-electrode volume.