MULTIPLE ANTENNA ABLATION APPARATUS AND METHOD WITH COOLING ELEMENT

摘要

An ablation apparatus (10) includes a handpiece (11), an electrode (12) extending from a handpiece distal end, a probe (24, 26), a thermal sensor (28, 30, 32) and an energy source (34). The electrode (12) includes a distal end and a lumen, a cooling medium inlet conduit (14) and a cooling medium exit conduit (16). Both conduits (14, 16) extend through the electrode lumen to an electrode distal end. A sidewall port (20, 22), isolated from a cooling medium flowing in the inlet and outlet conduits (14, 16), is formed in the electrode (12). The probe (24, 26) is at least partially positioned in the electrode lumen and configured to be advanced and retracted in and out of the sidewall aperture (20, 22). The thermal sensor (28, 30, 32) is supported by the probe (24, 26). The electrode (12) is coupled to an energy source (34).