Patent ID: 6958062

Claim:
A method of volumetric ablation of tumorous tissue, comprising: providing a tissue ablation apparatus comprising an elongated delivery device having a tissue piercing distal end and a proximal end, and at least one RF electrode having a tissue penetrating distal portion, said at least one RF electrode being pre-shaped to assume a curved shape and define an ablation volume when deployed; advancing the elongated delivery device to the selected tissue site, wherein said advancing is effective to place the distal end of the delivery device in or adjacent the tumorous tissue; deploying said at least one RF electrode from the distalmost end of the elongated delivery device; delivering energy to a selected tissue site through said at least one RF electrode to ablate said tissue; monitoring a temperature of said tissue using at least one sensor positioned on said at least one RF electrode, and modulating delivery of said energy when said temperature reaches a predetermined limit.