Patent ID: 7879031

Claim:
An ablation system, comprising: a source of electrosurgical energy; a source of cooling fluid; an ablation electrode assembly operatively connected to the source of electrosurgical energy and to the source of cooling fluid, the ablation electrode assembly including: a hub defining a chamber therein; at least one electrically conductive ablation needle extending from the hub, the ablation needle including a sharpened distal end portion configured to penetrate tissue, said distal end portion being electrically and thermally conductive for establishing electric and thermal communication with the tissue; a heat sink operatively connected to the ablation needle, the heat sink being connected to the ablation needle to draw energy away from at least the distal end portion thereof, the heat sink including a proximal end extending into the chamber of the hub and a distal end extending substantially the length of the ablation needle, wherein the heat sink is fabricated from an anisotropic and conductive material; a first conduit fluidly connected to the hub for delivering fluid into the chamber thereof from the source of fluid; and a second conduit fluidly connected to the hub for draining fluid from the chamber thereof, wherein the hub is configured to direct the cooling fluid from the first conduit over the proximal end of the heat sink and out the second conduit to withdraw energy from the proximal end of the heat sink.