Patent ID: 6960203

Claim:
A method for performing thermal ablation therapy using a medical device which includes a thermal ablation catheter and a deployable cage assembly attached to a distal end of said thermal ablation catheter, said method comprising the steps of: (a) inserting said distal end of said thermal ablation catheter into a cavity so as to insert said deployable cage assembly into the cavity and so as to insert a distensible bladder into the cervical canal, wherein said deployable cage assembly is inserted into the cavity and said distensible bladder is inserted into the cervical canal at the same time; (b) deploying said cage assembly such that said deployable cage assembly forms an open structure which extends outward from said thermal ablation catheter; (c) supplying a fluid to the cavity through said thermal ablation catheter; (d) conductively heating the fluid within the cavity to a desired temperature and maintaining the temperature for a desired time period; (e) providing said distensible bladder on said thermal ablation catheter; and (f) inflating said distensible bladder when said distensible bladder is positioned within the cervical canal and prior to the performance of step (d).