Patent ID: 8398626

Claim:
A system for heat ablation of tissue in a patient comprising: a radiofrequency source configured to supply RF energy to at least two electrodes for treating tissue; at least one return electrode configured to return the RF energy to the radiofrequency source; a controller configured to determine an off time for each of the at least two electrodes wherein the off time is the amount of time the applied RF energy is off, the controller further configured to sequentially apply the RF energy to each of the at least two electrodes for a pre-determinable period of time, wherein the pre-determinable period of time is determined by a surgical procedure or the number of electrodes; and circuitry configured to switch the RF energy to an internal load, wherein the controller is further configured to simultaneously apply RF energy to the internal load and one of the at least two electrodes and the controller is configured to apply the RF energy to the next electrode in the sequence when the off time of the next electrode in sequence is greater than a predetermined minimum off time.