Patent ID: 8545493

Claim:
A microwave ablation system, comprising: a generator operable to output energy; an ablation probe coupled to the generator, the ablation probe operable to deliver energy to tissue; a controller operable to control the generator; a coolant supply fluidly coupled to the ablation probe through a conduit; and a flow rate monitor coupled to the conduit configured to monitor a flow rate of coolant flowing in the conduit, the flow rate monitor comprising at least one flow rate meter selected from the group consisting of an electric flow meter, a velocity flow meter, a calorimetric flow meter, an electromagnetic flow meter, an ultrasonic flow meter, and a positive displacement flow meter, wherein the controller is programmed to perform a system check by ramping up energy output of the generator from a low energy level to a high energy level at a constant rate and monitoring an output from the flow rate monitor at predetermined intervals of time during the system check to determine the existence of an abnormal state, and wherein the controller ceases energy output to the generator when the controller detects an abnormal state.