Patent ID: 8202269

Claim:
An apparatus for delivering thermal energy to tissue, the apparatus comprising: an electrically powered thermal delivery element configured to be flexible and having a substantially planar resistive coil embedded in a thermally conductive material, wherein the electrically powered thermal delivery element has a tissue contact surface and an opposed non-tissue contact surface, said tissue contact surface operable to directly heat a surface of tissue being contacted by thermal transfer from said substantially planar resistive coil embedded in said thermally conductive material, said thermal delivery element having a maximum watt density of about 5 to about 70 Watts per square inch sufficient to heat said tissue contact surface to a set predetermined temperature, and a power generating means connected to said resistive coil of said thermal delivery element generating an electrical current through said thermal delivery element during a thermal application interval having sufficient energy to heat the tissue contact surface of said thermal delivery element to said set predetermined temperature to cauterize said tissue during said application interval; wherein the electrically powered thermal delivery element is configured to be flexible by including at least one slit to allow a first portion of the electrically powered thermal delivery element to fold relative to a second portion of the electrically powered thermal delivery element.