Moisture Transport System for Contact Electrocoagulation

The present invention relates generally to the field of apparatuses and methods for ablating or coagulating the interior surfaces of body organs. Specifically, it relates to an apparatus and method for ablating the interior linings of body organs such as the uterus and gallbladder.

Ablation of the interior lining of a body organ is a procedure which involves heating the organ lining to temperatures which destroy the cells of the lining or coagulate tissue proteins for hemostasis. Such a procedure may be performed as a treatment to one of many conditions, such as chronic bleeding of the endometrial layer of the uterus or abnormalities of the mucosal layer of the gallbladder. Existing methods for effecting ablation include circulation of heated fluid inside the organ (either directly or inside a balloon), laser treatment of the organ lining, and resistive heating using application of RF energy to the tissue to be ablated.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,084,044 describes an apparatus for endometrial ablation in which a bladder is inserted into the uterus. Heated fluid is then circulated through the balloon to expand the balloon into contact with the endometrium and to ablate the endometrium thermally. U.S. Pat. No. 5,443,470 describes an apparatus for endometrial ablation in which an expandable bladder is provided with electrodes on its outer surface. After the apparatus is positioned inside the uterus, a non-conductive gas or liquid is used to fill the balloon, causing the balloon to push the electrodes into contact with the endometrial surface. RF energy is supplied to the electrodes to ablate the endometrial tissue using resistive heating.

These ablation devices are satisfactory for carrying out ablation procedures. However, because no data or feedback is available to guide the physician as do how deep the tissue ablation has progressed, controlling the ablation depth and ablation profile with such devices can only be done by assumption.

For example, heated fluid method is a very passive and ineffective heating process which relies on the heat conductivity of the tissue. This process does not account for variations in factors such as the amount of contact between the balloon and the underlying tissue, or cooling effects such as those of blood circulating through the organ. RF ablation techniques can achieve more effective ablation since it relies on active heating of the tissue using RF energy, but presently the depth of ablation using RF techniques can only be estimated by physician since no feedback can be provided as to actual ablation depth.

Both the heated fluid techniques and the latest RF techniques must be performed using great care to prevent overablation. Monitoring of tissue surface temperature is normally carried out during these ablation procedures to ensure the temperature does not exceed 100.degree. C. If the temperature exceeds 100.degree. C., the fluid within the tissue begins to boil and to thereby produce steam. Because ablation is carried out within a closed cavity within the body, the steam cannot escape and may instead force itself deeply into the tissue, or it may pass into areas adjacent to the area intended to be ablated, causing embolism or unintended burning.

Moreover, in prior art RF devices the water drawn from the tissue creates a path of conductivity through which current traveling through the electrodes will flow. This can prevent the current from traveling into the tissue to be ablated. Moreover, the presence of this current path around the electrodes causes current to be continuously drawn from the electrodes. The current heats the liquid drawn from the tissue and thus turns the ablation process into a passive heating method in which the heated liquid around the electrodes causes thermal ablation to continue well beyond the desired ablation depths.

Another problem with prior art ablation devices is that it is difficult for a physician to find out when ablation has been carried out to a desired depth within the tissue. Thus, it is often the case that too much or too little tissue may be ablated during an ablation procedure.

It is therefore desirable to provide an ablation device which eliminates the above-described problem of steam and liquid buildup at the ablation site. It is further desirable to provide an ablation method and device which allows the depth of ablation to be controlled and which automatically discontinues ablation once the desired ablation depth has been reached.

An apparatus and method for use in performing ablation or coagulation of organs and other tissue includes an electrode carrying member which is substantially absorbent and/or permeable to moisture and gases such as steam and conformable to the body cavity. Suctioning means may additionally be positioned within the electrode carrying member to aide the removal of moisture, and/or gas and/or liquid, present or generated during the ablation procedure. An array of electrodes is mounted to the surface of the electrode carrying member and arranged to produce ablation to a predetermined depth. The electrodes may be provided with means for variably controlling ablation depth by changing the electrode density or center to center spacing.

Following placement of the ablation device into contact with the tissue to be ablated, an RF generator is used to deliver RF energy to the electrodes and to thereby induce current flow from the electrodes to tissue to be ablated. As the current heats the tissue, moisture (such as steam or liquid) leaves the tissue causing the tissue to dehydrate. The moisture permeability and/or absorbency of the electrode carrying member allows the moisture to leave the ablation site so as to prevent the moisture from providing a path of conductivity for the current.

FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of an ablation device according to the present invention, with the handle shown in cross-section and with the RF applicator head in a closed condition.

FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of an ablation device according to the present invention, with the handle shown in cross-section and with the RF applicator head in an open condition.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the ablation device of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the ablation device of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5A is a front elevation view of the applicator head and a portion of the main body of the ablation device of FIG. 2, with the main body shown in cross-section.

FIG. 5B is a cross-section view of the main body taken along the plane designated 5B--5B in FIG. 5A.

FIG. 6 is a schematic representation of a uterus showing the ablation device of FIG. 1 following insertion of the device into the uterus but prior to retraction of the introducer sheath and activation of the spring members.

FIG. 7 is a schematic representation of a uterus showing the ablation device of FIG. 1 following insertion of the device into the uterus and following the retraction of the introducer sheath and the expansion of the RF applicator head.

FIG. 8 is a cross-section view of the RF applicator head and the distal portion of the main body of the apparatus of FIG. 1, showing the RF applicator head in the closed condition.

FIG. 9 is a cross-section view of the RF applicator head and the distal portion of the main body of the apparatus of FIG. 1, showing the configuration of RF applicator head after the sheath has been retracted but before the spring members have been released by proximal movement of the shaft. FIG. 10 is a cross-section view of the RF applicator head and the distal portion of the main body of the apparatus of FIG. 1, showing the configuration of RF applicator head after the sheath has been retracted and after the spring members have been released into the fully opened condition.

FIG. 11 is a cross-section view of an RF applicator head according to the present invention which utilizes an alternative spring member configuration.

FIG. 12 is a side elevation view of an alternate embodiment of the distal end of an ablation device according to the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a top plan view of the ablation device of FIG. 12.

FIG. 14 is a representation of a bleeding vessel illustrating use of the ablation device of FIG. 12 for general bleeding control.

FIGS. 15 and 16 are representations of a uterus illustrating use of the ablation device of FIG. 12 for endometrial ablation.

FIG. 17 is a representation of a prostate gland illustrating use of the ablation device of FIG. 12 for prostate ablation.

FIG. 18 is a cross-section view of target tissue for ablation, showing ablation electrodes in contact with the tissue surface and illustrating energy fields generated during bi-polar ablation.

FIGS. 19A-19C are cross-section views of target tissue for ablation, showing electrodes in contact with the tissue surface and illustrating how varying active electrode density may be used to vary the ablation depth.

FIG. 20 is a side elevation view, similar to the view of FIG. 2, showing an ablation device according to the present invention in which the electrode carrying means includes inflatable balloons. For purposes of clarity, the electrodes on the electrode carrying means are not shown.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an ablation device according to the present invention is comprised generally of three major components: RF applicator head 2, main body 4, and handle 6. Main body 4 includes a shaft 10. The RF applicator head 2 includes an electrode carrying means 12 mounted to the distal end of the shaft 10 and an array of electrodes 14 formed on the surface of the electrode carrying means 12. An RF generator 16 is electrically connected to the electrodes 14 to provide mono-polar or bipolar RF energy to them.

Shaft 10 is an elongate member having a hollow interior. Shaft 10 is preferably 12 inches long and has a preferred cross-sectional diameter of approximately 4 mm. A collar 13 is formed on the exterior of the shaft 10 at the proximal end. As best shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, passive spring member 15 are attached to the distal end of the shaft 10.

Extending through the shaft 10 is a suction/insufflation tube 17 (FIGS. 6-9) having a plurality of holes 17a formed in its distal end. An arched active spring member 19 is connected between the distal ends of the passive spring members 15 and the distal end of the suction/insufflation tube 17.

Referring to FIG. 2, electrode leads 18a and 18b extend through the shaft 10 from distal end 20 to proximal end 22 of the shaft 10. At the distal end 20 of the shaft 10, each of the leads 18a, 18b is coupled to a respective one of the electrodes 14. At the proximal end 22 of the shaft 10, the leads 18a, 18b are electrically connected to RF generator 16 via an electrical connector 21. During use, the leads 18a, 18b carry RF energy from the RF generator 16 to the electrodes. Each of the leads 18a, 18b is insulated and carries energy of an opposite polarity than the other lead.

Electrically insulated sensor leads 23a, 23b (FIGS. 5A and 5B) also extend through the shaft 10. Contact sensors 25a, 25b are attached to the distal ends of the sensor leads 23a, 23b, respectively and are mounted to the electrode carrying means 12. During use, the sensor leads 23a, 23b are coupled by the connector 21 to a monitoring module in the RF generator 16 which measures impedance between the sensors 25a, 25b. Alternatively, a reference pad may be positioned in contact with the patient and the impedance between one of the sensors and the reference pad.

Referring to FIG. 5B, electrode leads 18a, 18b and sensor leads 23a, 23b extend through the shaft 10 between the external walls of the tube 17 and the interior walls of the shaft 10 and they are coupled to electrical connector 21 which is preferably mounted to the collar 13 on the shaft 10. Connector 21, which is connectable to the RF generator 16, includes at least four electrical contact rings 21a-21d (FIGS. 1 and 2) which correspond to each of the leads 18a, 18b, 23a, 23b. Rings 21a, 21b receive, from the RF generator, RF energy of positive and negative polarity, respectively. Rings 21c, 21d deliver signals from the right and left sensors, respectively, to a monitoring module within the RF generator 16.

Referring to FIG. 5A, the electrode carrying means 12 is attached to the distal end 20 of the shaft 10. A plurality of holes 24 may be formed in the portion of the distal end 20 of the shaft which lies within the electrode carrying means 12.

The electrode carrying means 12 preferably has a shape which approximates the shape of the body organ which is to be ablated. For example, the apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 through 11 has a bicornual shape which is desirable for intrauterine ablation. The electrode carrying means 12 shown in these figures includes horn regions 26 which during use are positioned within the cornual regions of the uterus and which therefore extend towards the fallopian tubes.

Electrode carrying means 12 is preferably a sack formed of a material which is non-conductive, which is permeable to moisture and/or which has a tendency to absorb moisture, and which may be compressed to a smaller volume and subsequently released to its natural size upon elimination of compression. Examples of preferred materials for the electrode carrying means include open cell sponge, foam, cotton, fabric, or cotton-like material, or any other material having the desired characteristics. Alternatively, the electrode carrying means may be formed of a metallized fabric. For convenience, the term "pad" may be used interchangeably with the term electrode carrying means to refer to an electrode carrying means formed of any of the above materials or having the listed properties.

Electrodes 14 are preferably attached to the outer surface of the electrode carrying means 12, such as by deposition or other attachment mechanism. The electrodes are preferably made of lengths of silver, gold, platinum, or any other conductive material. The electrodes may be attached to the electrode carrying means 12 by electron beam deposition, or they may be formed into coiled wires and bonded to the electrode carrying member using a flexible adhesive. Naturally, other means of attaching the electrodes, such as sewing them onto the surface of the carrying member, may alternatively be used. If the electrode carrying means 12 is formed of a metallized fabric, an insulating layer may be etched onto the fabric surface, leaving only the electrode regions exposed.

The spacing between the electrodes (i.e. the distance between the centers of adjacent electrodes) and the widths of the electrodes are selected so that ablation will reach predetermined depths within the tissue, particularly when maximum power is delivered through the electrodes (where maximum power is the level at which low impedance, low voltage ablation can be achieved).

The depth of ablation is also effected by the electrode density (i.e., the percentage of the target tissue area which is in contact with active electrode surfaces) and may be regulated by pre-selecting the amount of this active electrode coverage. For example, the depth of ablation is much greater when the active electrode surface covers more than 10% of the target tissue than it is when the active electrode surfaces covers 1% of the target tissue.

For example, by using 3-6 mm spacing and an electrode width of approximately 0.5-2.5 mm, delivery of approximately 20-40 watts over a 9-16 cm.sup.2 target tissue area will cause ablation to a depth of approximately 5-7 millimeters when the active electrode surface covers more than 10% of the target tissue area. After reaching this ablation depth, the impedance of the tissue will become so great that ablation will self-terminate as described with respect to the operation of the invention.

By contrast, using the same power, spacing, electrode width, and RF frequency will produce an ablation depth of only 2-3 mm when the active electrode surfaces covers less than 1% of the target tissue area. This can be better understood with reference to FIG. 19A, in which high surface density electrodes are designated 14a and low surface density electrodes are designated 14b. For purposes of this comparison between low and high surface density electrodes, each bracketed group of low density electrodes is considered to be a single electrode. Thus, the electrode widths W and spacings S extend as shown in FIG. 19A.

As is apparent from FIG. 19A, the electrodes 14a, which have more active area in contact with the underlying tissue T, produce a region of ablation A1 that extends more deeply into the tissue T than the ablation region A2 produced by the low density electrodes 14b, even though the electrode spacings and widths are the same for the high and low density electrodes.

Some examples of electrode widths, having spacings with more than 10% active electrode surface coverage, and their resultant ablation depth, based on an ablation area of 6 cm.sup.2 and a power of 20-40 watts, are given on the following table:

Examples of electrode widths, having spacings with less than 1% active electrode surface coverage, and their resultant ablation depth, based on an ablation area of 6 cm.sup.2 and a power of 20-40 watts, are given on the following table:

Thus it can be seen that the depth of ablation is significantly less when the active electrode surface coverage is decreased.

In the preferred embodiment, the preferred electrode spacing is approximately 8-10 mm in the horn regions 26 with the active electrode surfaces covering approximately 1% of the target region. Approximately 1-2 mm electrode spacing (with 10% active electrode coverage) is preferred in the cervical region (designated 28) and approximately 3-6 mm (with greater than 10% active electrode surface coverage) is preferred in the main body region.

The RF generator 16 may be configured to include a controller which gives the user a choice of which electrodes should be energized during a particular application in order to give the user control of ablation depth. For example, during an application for which deep ablation is desired, the user may elect to have the generator energize every other electrode, to thereby optimize the effective spacing of the electrodes and to decrease the percentage of active electrode surface coverage, as will be described below with respect to FIG. 18.

Although the electrodes shown in the drawings are arranged in a particular pattern, it should be appreciated that the electrodes may be arranged in any pattern to provide ablation to desired depths.

Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, an introducer sheath 32 facilitates insertion of the apparatus into, and removal of the apparatus from, the body organ to be ablated. The sheath 32 is a tubular member which is telescopically slidable over the shaft 10. The sheath 32 is slidable between a distal condition, shown in FIG. 6, in which the electrode carrying means 12 is compressed inside the sheath, and a proximal condition in which the sheath 32 is moved proximally to release the electrode carrying means from inside it (FIG. 7). By compressing the electrode carrying means 12 to a small volume, the electrode carrying means and electrodes can be easily inserted into the body cavity (such as into the uterus via the vaginal opening).

A handle 34 attached to the sheath 32 provides finger holds to allow for manipulation of the sheath 32. Handle 34 is slidably mounted on a handle rail 35 which includes a sleeve 33, a finger cutout 37, and a pair of spaced rails 35a, 35b extending between the sleeve 33 and the finger cutout 37. The shaft 10 and sheath 32 slidably extend through the sleeve 33 and between the rails 35a, 35b. The tube 17 also extends through the sleeve 33 and between the rails 35a, 35b, and its proximal end is fixed to the handle rail 35 near the finger cutout 37.

A compression spring 39 is disposed around the proximal most portion of the suction/insufflation tube 17 which lies between the rails 35a, 35b. One end of the compression spring 39 rests against the collar 13 on the shaft 10, while the opposite end of the compression spring rests against the handle rail 35. During use, the sheath 32 is retracted from the electrode carrying means 12 by squeezing the handle 34 towards the finger cutout 37 to slide the sheath 32 in the distal direction. When the handle 34 advances against the collar 13, the shaft 10 (which is attached to the collar 13) is forced to slide in the proximal direction, causing compression of the spring 39 against the handle rail 35. The movement of the shaft 10 relative to the suction/insufflation tube 17 causes the shaft 10 to pull proximally on the passive spring member 15. Proximal movement of the passive spring member 15 in turn pulls against the active spring member 19, causing it to move to the opened condition shown in FIG. 7. Unless the shaft is held in this retracted condition, the compression spring 39 will push the collar and thus the shaft distally, forcing the RF applicator head to close. A locking mechanism (not shown) may be provided to hold the shaft in the fully withdrawn condition to prevent inadvertent closure of the spring members during the ablation procedure.

The amount by which the springs 15, 19 are spread may be controlled by manipulating the handle 34 to slide the shaft 10 (via collar 13), proximally or distally. Such sliding movement of the shaft 10 causes forceps-like movement of the spring members 15, 19.

A flow pathway 36 is formed in the handle rail 35 and is fluidly coupled to a suction/insufflation port 38. The proximal end of the suction/insufflation tube 17 is fluidly coupled to the flow pathway so that gas fluid may be introduced into, or withdrawn from the suction/insufflation tube 17 via the suction/insufflation port 38. For example, suction may be applied to the fluid port 38 using a suction/insufflation unit 40. This causes water vapor within the uterine cavity to pass through the permeable electrode carrying means 12, into the suction/insufflation tube 17 via holes 17a, through the tube 17, and through the suction/insufflation unit 40 via the port 38. If insufflation of the uterine cavity is desired, insufflation gas, such as carbon dioxide, may be introduced into the suction/insufflation tube 17 via the port 38. The insufflation gas travels through the tube 17, through the holes 17a, and into the uterine cavity through the permeable electrode carrying member 12.

If desirable, additional components may be provided for endoscopic visualization purposes. For example, lumen 42, 44, and 46 may be formed in the walls of the introducer sheath 32 as shown in FIG. 5B. An imaging conduit, such as a fiberoptic cable 48, extends through lumen 42 and is coupled via a camera cable 43 to a camera 45. Images taken from the camera may be displayed on a monitor 56. An illumination fiber 50 extends through lumen 44 and is coupled to an illumination source 54. The third lumen 46 is an instrument channel through which surgical instruments may be introduced into the uterine cavity, if necessary.

Because during use it is most desirable for the electrodes 14 on the surface of the electrode carrying means 12 to be held in contact with the interior surface of the organ to be ablated, the electrode carrying means 12 may be provide to have additional components inside it that add structural integrity to the electrode carrying means when it is deployed within the body.

For example, referring to FIG. 11, alternative spring members 15a, 19a may be attached to the shaft 10 and biased such that, when in a resting state, the spring members are positioned in the fully resting condition shown in FIG. 11. Such spring members would spring to the resting condition upon withdrawal of the sheath 32 from the RF applicator head 2.

Alternatively, a pair of inflatable balloons 52 may be arranged inside the electrode carrying means 12 as shown in FIG. 20 and connected to a tube (not shown) extending through the shaft 10 and into the balloons 52. After insertion of the apparatus into the organ and following retraction of the sheath 32, the balloons 52 would be inflated by introduction of an inflation medium such as air into the balloons via a port similar to port 38 using an apparatus similar to the suction/insufflation apparatus 40.

Structural integrity may also be added to the electrode carrying means through the application of suction to the proximal end 22 of the suction/insufflation tube 17. Application of suction using the suction/insufflation device 40 would draw the organ tissue towards the electrode carrying means 12 and thus into better contact with the electrodes 14.

FIGS. 12 and 13 show an alternative embodiment of an ablation device according to the present invention. In the alternative embodiment, an electrode carrying means 12a is provided which has a shape which is generally tubular and thus is not specific to any particular organ shape. An ablation device having a general shape such as this may be used anywhere within the body where ablation or coagulation is needed. For example, the alternative embodiment is useful for bleeding control during laparoscopic surgery (FIG. 14), tissue ablation in the prostate gland (FIG. 17), and also intrauterine ablation (FIGS. 15 and 16).

Operation of a preferred ablation device according to the present invention will next be described.

Referring to FIG. 1, the device is initially configured for use by positioning the introducer sheath 32 distally along the shaft 10, such that it compresses the electrode carrying means 12 within its walls.

At this time, the electrical connector 21 is connected to the RF generator 16, and the fiberoptic cable 48 and the illumination cable 50 are connected to the illumination source, monitor, and camera, 54, 56, 45. The suction/insufflation unit 40 is attached to suction/insufflation port 38 on the handle rail 35. The suction/insufflation unit 40 is preferably set to deliver carbon dioxide at an insufflation pressure of 20-200 mmHg.

Next, the distal end of the apparatus is inserted through the vaginal opening V and into the uterus U as shown in FIG. 6, until the distal end of the introducer sheath 32 contacts the fundus F of the uterus. At this point, carbon dioxide gas is introduced into the tube 17 via the port 38, and it enters the uterine cavity, thereby expanding the uterine cavity from a flat triangular shape to a 1-2 cm high triangular cavity. The physician may observe (using the camera 45 and monitor 56) the internal cavities using images detected by a fiberoptic cable 48 inserted through lumen 42. If, upon observation, the physician determines that a tissue biopsy or other procedure is needed, the required instruments may be inserted into the uterine cavity via the instrument channel 46.

Following insertion, the handle 34 is withdrawn until it abuts the collar 13. At this point, the sheath 32 exposes the electrode carrying member 12 but the electrode carrying member 12 is not yet fully expanded (see FIG. 9), because the spring members 15, 19 have not yet been moved to their open condition. The handle 34 is withdrawn further, causing the shaft 10 to move proximally relative to the suction/insufflation tube 17, causing the passive spring members 15 to pull the active spring members 19, causing them to open into the opened condition shown in FIG. 10.

The physician may confirm proper positioning of the electrode carrying member 12 using the monitor 56, which displays images from the fiberoptic cable 48.

Proper positioning of the device and sufficient contact between the electrode carrying member 12 and the endometrium may further be confirmed using the contact sensors 25a, 25b. The monitoring module of the RF generator measures the impedance between these sensors using conventional means. If there is good contact between the sensors and the endometrium, the measured impedance will be approximately 20-180 ohm, depending on the water content of the endometrial lining.

The sensors are positioned on the distal portions of the bicornual shaped electrode carrying member 12, which during use are positioned in the regions within the uterus in which it is most difficult to achieve good contact with the endometrium. Thus, an indication from the sensors 25a, 25b that there is sound contact between the sensors and the endometrial surface indicates that good electrode contact has been made with the endometrium.

Next, insufflation is terminated. Approximately 1-5 cc of saline may be introduced via suction/insufflation tube 17 to initially wet the electrodes and to improve electrode electrical contact with the tissue. After introduction of saline, the suction/insufflation device 40 is switched to a suctioning mode. As described above, the application of suction to the RF applicator head 2 via the suction/insufflation tube 17 collapses the uterine cavity onto the RF applicator head 2 and thus assures better contact between the electrodes and the endometrial tissue.

If the generally tubular apparatus of FIGS. 12 and 13 is used, the device is angled into contact with one side of the uterus during the ablation procedure. Once ablation is completed, the device (or a new device) is repositioned in contact with the opposite side and the procedure is repeated. See FIGS. 15 and 16.

Next, RF energy at preferably about 500 kHz and at a constant power of approximately 30 W is applied to the electrodes. As shown in FIG. 5a, it is preferable that each electrode be energized at a polarity opposite from that of its neighboring electrodes. By doing so, energy field patterns, designated 100, 102 and 104 in FIG. 18, are generated between the electrode sites and thus help to direct the flow of current through the tissue T to form a region of ablation A. As can be seen in FIG. 18, if electrode spacing is increased such by energizing, for example every third or fifth electrode rather than all electrodes, the energy patterns will extend more deeply into the tissue. (See, for example, pattern 102 which results from energization of electrodes having a non-energized electrode between them, or pattern 104 which results from energization of electrodes having two non-energized electrodes between them).

Moreover, ablation depth may be controlled as described above by providing low surface density electrodes on areas of the electrode carrying member which will contact tissue areas at which a smaller ablation depth is required (see FIG. 19A).

Referring to FIG. 19B, if multiple, closely spaced, electrodes 14 are provided on the electrode carrying member, a user may set the RF generator to energize electrodes which will produce a desired electrode spacing and active electrode area. For example, alternate electrodes may be energized as shown in FIG. 19B, with the first three energized electrodes having positive polarity, the second three having negative polarity, etc.

As another example, shown in FIG. 19C, if greater ablation depth is desired the first five electrodes may be positively energized, and the seventh through eleventh electrodes negatively energized, with the sixth electrode remaining inactivated to provide adequate electrode spacing.

As the endometrial tissue heats, moisture begins to be released from the tissue. The moisture permeates the electrode carrying member 12 and is thereby drawn away from the electrodes. The moisture may pass through the holes 17a in the suction/insufflation tube 17 and leave the suction/insufflation tube 17 at its proximal end via port 38 as shown in FIG. 7. Moisture removal from the ablation site may be further facilitated by the application of suction to the shaft 10 using the suction/insufflation unit 40.

Removal of the moisture from the ablation site prevents formation of a liquid layer around the electrodes. As described above, liquid build-up at the ablation site is detrimental in that provides a conductive layer that carries current from the electrodes even when ablation has reached the desired depth. This continued current flow heats the liquid and surrounding tissue, and thus causes ablation to continue by unpredictable thermal conduction means.

Tissue which has been ablated becomes dehydrated and thus decreases in conductivity. By shunting moisture away from the ablation site and thus preventing liquid build-up, there is no liquid conductor at the ablation area during use of the ablation device of the present invention. Thus, when ablation has reached the desired depth, the impedance at the tissue surface becomes sufficiently high to stop or nearly stop the flow of current into the tissue. RF ablation thereby stops and thermal ablation does not occur in significant amounts. If the RF generator is equipped with an impedance monitor, a physician utilizing the ablation device can monitor the impedance at the electrodes and will know that ablation has self-terminated once the impedance rises to a certain level and then remains fairly constant. By contrast, if a prior art bipolar RF ablation device was used together with an impedance monitor, the presence of liquid around the electrodes would cause the impedance monitor to gives a low impedance reading regardless of the depth of ablation which had already been carried out, since current would continue to travel through the low-impedance liquid layer.

Other means for monitoring and terminating ablation may also be provided. For example, a thermocouple or other temperature sensor may be inserted to a predetermined depth in the tissue to monitor the temperature of the tissue and terminate the delivery of RF energy or otherwise signal the user when the tissue has reached a desired ablation temperature.

Once the process has self terminated, 1-5 cc of saline can be introduced via suction/insufflation tube 17 and allowed to sit for a short time to aid separation of the electrode from the tissue surface. The suction/insufflation device 40 is then switched to provide insufflation of carbon dioxide at a pressure of 20-200 mmHg. The insufflation pressure helps to lift the ablated tissue away from the RF applicator head 2 and to thus ease the closing of the RF applicator head. The RF applicator head 2 is moved to the closed position by sliding the handle 34 in a distal direction to fold the spring members 15, 19 along the axis of the device and to cause the introducer sheath 32 to slide over the folded RF applicator head. The physician may visually confirm the sufficiency of the ablation using the monitor 56. Finally, the apparatus is removed from the uterine cavity.