fig1 a illustrates a tissue ablation system 2 in accordance with some embodiments . the tissue ablation system 2 includes a probe assembly 4 configured for introduction into the body of a patient for ablative treatment of target tissue , and a radio frequency ( rf ) generator 6 configured for supplying rf energy to the probe assembly 4 in a controlled manner . the probe assembly 4 also includes an elongate tube 12 , a shaft 20 slidably disposed within the tube 12 , and an array 30 of electrodes 26 carried by the shaft 20 . the tube 12 has a distal end 14 , a proximal end 16 , and a central lumen 18 extending through the tube 12 between the distal end 14 and the proximal end 16 . the tube 12 may be rigid , semi - rigid , or flexible depending upon the designed means for introducing the tube 12 to the target tissue . the tube 12 is composed of a suitable material , such as plastic , metal or the like , and has a suitable length , typically in the range from 5 cm to 30 cm , preferably from 10 cm to 20 cm . the length of the tube 12 can also have other dimensions . if composed of an electrically conductive material , the tube 12 is preferably covered with an insulative material . the tube 12 has an outside cross sectional dimension consistent with its intended use , typically being from 0 . 5 mm to 5 mm , usually from 1 . 3 mm to 4 mm . the tube 12 may have an inner cross sectional dimension in the range from 0 . 3 mm to 4 mm , preferably from 1 mm to 3 . 5 mm . the tube 12 can also have other outside and inner cross sectional dimensions in other embodiments . it can be appreciated that longitudinal translation of the shaft 20 relative to the tube 12 in a proximal direction 40 retracts the electrodes 26 into the distal end 14 of the tube 12 ( fig1 a ), and longitudinal translation of the shaft 20 relative to the tube 12 in a distal direction 42 deploys the electrodes 26 from the distal end 14 of the tube 12 ( fig1 b ). the shaft 20 comprises a distal end 22 and a proximal end 24 . like the tube 12 , the shaft 20 is composed of a suitable material , such as plastic , metal or the like . in the illustrated embodiment , each electrode 26 takes the form of an electrode tine , which resembles the shape of a needle or wire . each of the electrodes 26 is in the form of a small diameter metal element , which can penetrate into tissue as it is advanced from a target site within the target region . in some embodiments , distal ends 66 of the electrodes 26 may be honed or sharpened to facilitate their ability to penetrate tissue . the distal ends 66 of these electrodes 26 may be hardened using conventional heat treatment or other metallurgical processes . they may be partially covered with insulation , although they will be at least partially free from insulation over their distal portions . when deployed from the tube 12 , the array 30 of electrodes 26 has a deployed configuration that defines a volume having a periphery with a radius 84 in the range from 0 . 5 to 4 cm . however , in other embodiments , the maximum radius can be other values . the electrodes 26 are resilient and pre - shaped to assume a desired configuration when advanced into tissue . in the illustrated embodiments , the electrodes 26 diverge radially outwardly from the tube 12 in a uniform pattern , i . e ., with the spacing between adjacent electrodes 26 diverging in a substantially uniform and / or symmetric pattern . in the illustrated embodiments , each electrode 26 has a flared curvilinear profile that resembles a portion of a parabola . particularly , when the electrodes 26 are deployed , the electrodes 26 each extends proximally , and then everts distally , such that each electrode 26 forms a profile that resembles at least a portion of a parabola . as shown in fig1 b , the deployed electrode 26 is located at the distal end 14 of the cannula , and each deployed electrode 26 has a distal end that points at least partially towards a proximal direction . it should be noted that the electrodes 26 should not be limited to the profiles shown in fig1 b , and that in alternative embodiments , the electrodes 26 can have different deployed profiles . for examples , in other embodiments , each of the electrodes 26 can each have a flared deployed profile , a substantially rectilinear deployed profile , a deployed profile that resembles a 90 ° bent , or a deployed profile that resembles a portion ( e . g ., a quarter ) of a circle or an ellipse . it should be noted that although a total of two electrodes 26 are illustrated in fig1 b , in other embodiments , the probe assembly 4 can have more or fewer than two electrodes 26 . in exemplary embodiments , pairs of adjacent electrodes 26 can be spaced from each other in similar or identical , repeated patterns and can be symmetrically positioned about an axis of the shaft 20 . it will be appreciated that a wide variety of particular patterns can be provided to uniformly cover the region to be treated . in other embodiments , the electrodes 26 may be spaced from each other in a non - uniform pattern . the electrodes 26 can be made from a variety of electrically conductive elastic materials . very desirable materials of construction , from a mechanical point of view , are materials which maintain their shape despite being subjected to high stress . certain “ super - elastic alloys ” include nickel / titanium alloys , copper / zinc alloys , or nickel / aluminum alloys . alloys that may be used are also described in u . s . pat . nos . 3 , 174 , 851 , 3 , 351 , 463 , and 3 , 753 , 700 , the disclosures of which are hereby expressly incorporated by reference . the electrodes 26 may also be made from any of a wide variety of stainless steels . the electrodes 26 may also include the platinum group metals , especially platinum , rhodium , palladium , rhenium , as well as tungsten , gold , silver , tantalum , and alloys of these metals . these metals are largely biologically inert . they also have significant radiopacity to allow the electrodes 26 to be visualized in - situ , and their alloys may be tailored to accomplish an appropriate blend of flexibility and stiffness . they may be coated onto the electrodes 26 or be mixed with another material used for construction of the electrodes 26 . in the illustrated embodiments , rf current is delivered to the electrode array 30 in a monopolar fashion , which means that current will pass from the electrode array 30 , which is configured to concentrate the energy flux in order to have an injurious effect on the surrounding tissue , to a dispersive electrode ( not shown ), which is located remotely from the electrode array 30 and has a sufficiently large area ( typically 130 cm 2 for an adult ), so that the current density is low and non - injurious to surrounding tissue . the dispersive electrode may be attached externally to the patient , e . g ., using a contact pad placed on the patient &# 39 ; s skin . in other embodiments , rf energy may be delivered in a bipolar fashion in that energy is delivered from one electrode ( s ) 26 to another electrode ( s ) 26 on the array 30 . as shown in fig1 a , the probe assembly 4 also includes an inflatable balloon 100 secured to the tube 12 . the balloon 100 is used to compress tissue between the balloon 100 ( when inflated ) and the array 30 of electrodes 26 during use . the tube 12 includes a fluid delivery channel 102 within a wall 104 of the tube 12 , and a port 106 in fluid communication with the fluid delivery channel 102 , wherein the fluid delivery channel 102 is used for delivering inflation fluid to the balloon 100 . during use , a fluid supply 110 is coupled to the port 106 ( e . g ., via a tube ), and inflation fluid ( gas or liquid ) is delivered from the fluid supply 110 to the balloon 100 via the fluid delivery channel 102 , thereby inflating the balloon 100 ( fig2 ). the inflated balloon 100 can have different inflated shapes in different embodiments . for examples , the inflated balloon 100 can have a circular profile , an elliptical profile , a triangular profile , or other customized profiles . in some embodiments , the inflated balloon 100 has a cross sectional dimension 112 which is between 50 % of a cross sectional dimension 114 of the deployed array 30 and 150 % of the cross sectional dimension 114 of the deployed array 30 . for example , the balloon 100 , when inflated , can have a cross sectional dimension 112 that is larger than the cross sectional dimension 114 of the deployed array 30 . in such cases , the balloon 100 can be located proximal to the tips of the electrodes 26 so that the tips do not puncture the balloon 100 when inflated . in other embodiments , the inflated balloon 100 has a cross sectional dimension 112 that is smaller than an opening 101 defined by the distal ends 66 of the electrodes 26 , thereby allowing the balloon 100 to be positioned at least partially within the opening 101 without being punctured by the electrodes 26 . in other embodiments , the inflated balloon 100 can have other cross sectional dimensions 112 different from those discussed previously . the balloon 100 can be made from a variety of materials , such as a polymer or latex . in some embodiments , at least a portion of the balloon 100 can include electrically conductive material , thereby allowing the balloon 100 to function as an electrode . for example , the balloon 100 can have one or more regions made from a metal , or covered with metal dusts . electrically conductive balloons have been described in u . s . pat . nos . 5 , 846 , 239 , 6 , 454 , 766 , and 5 , 925038 , the entire disclosures of which are expressly incorporated by reference herein . one or more electrical wires ( e . g ., housed within the wall 104 of the tube 12 ) may be used to deliver electrical energy from the rf generator 6 to the balloon 100 . in such cases , the array 30 of electrodes 26 and the balloon 100 are used to deliver rf current in a bipolar fashion , which means that current will pass between the array 30 of electrodes 26 and the balloon 100 . in a bipolar arrangement , the array 30 and the balloon 100 will be insulated from each other in any region ( s ) where they would or could be in contact with each other during a power delivery phase . if the tube 12 is made from an electrically conductive material , an insulator ( not shown ) can be provided to electrically insulate the operative balloon 100 from the electrodes 26 in the array 30 . returning to fig1 a and 1b , the probe assembly 4 further includes a handle assembly 27 , which includes a handle portion 28 mounted to the proximal end 24 of the shaft 20 , and a handle body 29 mounted to the proximal end 16 of the tube 12 . the handle portion 28 is slidably engaged with the handle body 29 ( and the tube 12 ). the handle portion 28 and the handle body 29 can be composed of any suitable rigid material , such as , e . g ., metal , plastic , or the like . the handle portion 28 also includes electrical connector ( s ) ( not shown ), which allows the electrode array 30 of the probe assembly 4 to be connected directly or indirectly ( e . g ., via a conductor ) to the generator 6 during use . the rf generator 6 is a conventional rf power supply that operates at a frequency in the range from 200 khz to 1 . 25 mhz , with a conventional sinusoidal or non - sinusoidal wave form . such power supplies are available from many commercial suppliers , such as valleylab , aspen , and bovie . more suitable power supplies will be capable of supplying an ablation current at a relatively low voltage , typically below 150v ( peak - to - peak ), usually being from 50v to 100v . the power will usually be from 20 w to 200 w , usually having a sine wave form , although other wave forms would also be acceptable . power supplies capable of operating within these ranges are available from commercial vendors , such as boston scientific corporation of san jose , calif ., which markets these power supplies under the trademarks rf2000 ( 100 w ) and rf3000 ( 200 w ). in other embodiments , generators having other ranges of operating frequency or ranges of voltage can also be used . other general purpose electrosurgical power supplies can also be used in other embodiments . referring now to fig3 a - 3d , the operation of the tissue ablation system 2 is described in treating a treatment region within tissue t located beneath the skin s of a patient . the tissue t can be at least a portion of , a lung tissue , a liver tissue , or other tissue within a body . the tube 12 is first introduced within a treatment region , so that the distal end 14 of the tube 12 is located at a target site , as shown in fig3 a . this can be accomplished using any one of a variety of techniques . in some cases , the tube 12 and shaft 20 may be introduced to the target site ts percutaneously directly through the patient &# 39 ; s skin or through an open surgical incision . in this case , the tube 12 ( or the electrode 26 ) may have a sharpened tip , e . g ., in the form of a needle , to facilitate introduction to the target site . in such cases , it is desirable that the tube 12 be sufficiently rigid , i . e ., have a sufficient column strength , so that it can be accurately advanced through tissue t . in other cases , the tube 12 may be introduced using an internal stylet that is subsequently exchanged for the shaft 20 and electrode array 30 . in this latter case , the tube 12 can be relatively flexible , since the initial column strength will be provided by the stylet . more alternatively , a component or element may be provided for introducing the tube 12 to the target site . for example , a conventional sheath and sharpened obturator ( stylet ) assembly can be used to initially access the tissue t . the assembly can be positioned under ultrasonic or other conventional imaging , with the obturator / stylet then removed to leave an access lumen through the sheath . the tube 12 and shaft 20 can then be introduced through the sheath lumen , so that the distal end 14 of the tube 12 advances from the sheath to the target site . after the tube 12 is properly placed , the electrode array 30 is deployed out of the lumen 18 of the tube 12 , as shown in fig3 b . next , inflation fluid is delivered from the fluid source 110 to inflate the balloon 100 , thereby compressing the tissue region tr that is between the balloon 100 and the electrodes 26 ( fig3 c ). in some embodiments , the size of the balloon 100 can be adjusted ( e . g ., by varying the amount of inflation fluid that is delivered into the balloon 100 ) to thereby change a degree of compression of the tissue region tr . for example , an increase in the amount of inflation fluid delivered to the balloon 100 will cause the balloon 100 to increase in size , thereby increasing the amount of compression created on the tissue region tr , and vice versa . in other embodiments , the amount of compression on the tissue region tr can be adjusted by positioning the balloon 100 relative to the deployed electrodes 26 . for example , the tube 12 can be positioned relative to the shaft 20 to vary a distance between the balloon 100 and the electrodes 26 , thereby changing an amount of compression on the tissue region tr . next , with the rf generator 6 connected to the probe assembly 4 , the rf generator 6 is operated to deliver ablation energy to the electrodes 26 either in a monopolar mode or a bipolar mode . while ablation energy is being delivered , compression of the tissue region tr between the balloon 100 and the electrodes 26 is maintained . the compression on the tissue region tr reduces blood flow to the tissue region tr , thereby preventing or reducing heat from being carried away by blood flow , which in turn , improves a tissue ablation rate . after a desired amount of ablation energy has been delivered , the treatment region tr is necrosed , thereby creating a lesion on the treatment region tr ( fig3 d ). in many cases , a single ablation may be sufficient to create a desired lesion . however , if it is desired to perform further ablation to increase the lesion size or to create lesions at different site ( s ), the electrodes 26 may be introduced and deployed at different target site ( s ), and the same steps discussed previously may be repeated . when desired lesions have been created , the electrodes 26 are retracted into the lumen 18 of the tube 12 , and the probe assembly 4 is removed from the patient . in other embodiments , instead of placing the balloon 100 within tissue t , the balloon 100 can be placed next to a periphery of the tissue , such as , at a surface of the tissue . in such cases , after deploying the electrodes 26 within the tissue t , the tube 12 can be retracted proximally until the balloon 100 is outside the tissue t . the balloon 100 is then inflated to press against a surface of the tissue t , thereby compressing tissue region that is within tissue t . in the above embodiments , the relative position between the balloon 100 and the array 30 of electrodes 26 is established using the tube 12 and the shaft 20 . in other embodiments , the relative position between the balloon 100 and electrode ( s ) 26 may be established using other structures . also , in further embodiments , the balloon 100 needs not be located on the tube 12 that carries the electrodes 26 . instead , the balloon 100 can be carried by a separate structure . fig4 illustrates an ablation system 200 in accordance with other embodiments . the ablation system 200 includes an ablation device 202 having one or more electrodes 206 and a structure 204 for carrying the electrode ( s ) 206 , a balloon 210 , a shaft 208 for carrying the balloon 210 , and a coupler 212 for establishing a relative position between the balloon 210 and the electrode ( s ) 206 . the electrode ( s ) 206 each has a rectilinear profile , but can have other shapes in other embodiments . in some embodiments , the ablation device 202 includes one electrode 206 . in other embodiments , the ablation device 202 includes a plurality of electrodes 206 . for examples , the electrodes 206 can be arranged in a row , multiple rows , or in other customized patterns . the ablation system 200 also includes a rf generator 220 for providing rf energy to the electrode ( s ) 206 ( e . g ., in a monopolar or bipolar fashion ), and a fluid source 222 for delivering inflation fluid ( gas or liquid ) to inflate the balloon 210 . the shaft 208 includes a fluid delivery channel 209 for delivering fluid from the fluid source 222 to the balloon 210 . in some embodiments , the balloon 210 can include one or more conductive regions , thereby allowing the balloon 210 to function as an electrode . in such cases , the balloon 210 is electrically connected to the generator 220 during use . fig5 a illustrates a top view of the coupler 212 of fig4 in accordance with some embodiments . the coupler 212 includes a first opening 214 sized to mate with the structure 204 of the ablation device 202 , and a second opening 216 sized to mate with the shaft 208 . in the illustrated embodiments , the coupler 212 is detachably coupled to the structure 204 and the shaft 208 . in other embodiments , the coupler 212 is permanently secured ( e . g ., via a glue or a suitable adhesive ) to the structure 204 , the shaft 208 , or both . fig5 b illustrates a top view of the coupler 212 of fig4 in accordance with other embodiments . the coupler 212 includes a plurality of second openings 216 a - 216 c , each of which is sized to mate with the shaft 208 . such configuration allows a distance between the balloon 210 and the electrode ( s ) 206 be adjusted by selectively mating the shaft 208 to a desired one of the openings 216 a - 216 c . in other embodiments , instead of , or in addition to , the plurality of second openings 216 a - 216 c , the coupler 212 can include a plurality of first openings 214 , thereby allowing the structure 204 to be secured to different portion of the coupler 212 . fig5 c illustrates a top view of the coupler 212 of fig4 in accordance with other embodiments . the coupler 212 includes a first portion 230 and a second portion 232 that is moveable relative to the first portion 230 . the first portion 230 includes a first opening 234 sized to mate with the structure 204 of the ablation device 202 , and the second portion 232 includes a second opening 236 sized to mate with the shaft 208 . in the illustrated embodiments , the coupler 212 is detachably coupled to the structure 204 and the shaft 208 . in other embodiments , the coupler 212 is permanently secured ( e . g ., via a glue or a suitable adhesive ) to the structure 204 , the shaft 208 , or both . during use , the second portion 232 can be translated relative to the first portion 230 , thereby allowing a distance between the openings 234 , 236 be adjusted . this , in turn , allows adjustment of a spacing between the balloon 210 and the electrode ( s ) 206 . a securing device , such as a screw 238 , can be provided to secure the second portion 232 relative to the first portion 230 after a desired spacing between the openings 234 , 236 is obtained . in the above embodiments , the opening 214 is sized such that it provides a frictional contact against a surface of the structure 204 when the structure 204 is inserted within the opening 214 , thereby allowing the coupler 212 to be secured to the structure 204 via friction . similarly , the opening 216 is sized such that it provides a frictional contact against a surface of the shaft 208 when the shaft 208 is inserted within the opening 216 , thereby allowing the coupler 212 to be secured to the shaft 208 . in other embodiments , the coupler 212 can be detachably secured to the structure 204 and / or the shaft 208 by other techniques . for example , the coupler 212 can include one or more screws , one or more snap - fit connections , or one or more pins for detachably securing itself to the structure 204 and / or the shaft 208 . also , in other embodiments , instead of the shafts 208 , the opening 216 can be sized to mate with another structure that is used to carry ( or is coupled to ) the balloon 210 . in addition , in other embodiments , the coupler 212 can have other shapes and configurations as long as the coupler 212 is capable of establishing a relative position between the electrode ( s ) 206 and the balloon 210 . referring now to fig6 a - 6d , the operation of the tissue ablation system 200 is described in treating a treatment region tr within tissue t located beneath the skin s of a patient . first , an incision is made at the patient &# 39 ; s skin s to thereby create an opening , and the electrodes 206 carried by the structure 204 are inserted through the opening ( fig6 a ). the electrodes 206 are advanced to penetrate the tissue t beneath the skin s , and are positioned until they are placed at a desired location . the tissue t can be at least a portion of , a lung tissue , a liver tissue , or other tissue within a body . next , the balloon 210 is inserted through the skin s , and the coupler 212 is detachably secured to the structure 204 and the shaft 208 that carries the balloon 210 , thereby establishing a relative position between the balloon 210 and the electrodes 206 ( fig6 b ). alternatively , if the coupler 212 is permanently secured to the structure 204 , then the coupler 212 is detachably secured to the shaft 208 and not to the structure 204 . in other embodiments , if the coupler 212 is permanently secured to the shaft 208 , then the coupler 212 is detachably secured to the structure 204 and not to the shaft 208 . as shown in the figure , the balloon 210 , in its non - inflated state , is positioned next to a tissue surface ts . next , inflation fluid is delivered from the fluid source 222 to inflate the balloon 210 , thereby compressing the tissue region tr that is between the balloon 210 and the electrodes 206 ( fig6 c ). in some embodiments , the size of the balloon 210 can be adjusted ( e . g ., by varying the amount of inflation fluid that is delivered into the balloon 210 ) to thereby change a degree of compression of the tissue region . for example , an increase in the amount of inflation fluid delivered to the balloon 210 will cause the balloon 210 to increase in size , thereby increasing the amount of compression created on the tissue region tr , and vice versa . when the tissue region tr is desirably compressed , the rf generator 220 is operated to deliver ablation energy to the electrodes 206 either in a monopolar mode or a bipolar mode . the compression on the tissue reduces blood flow to the tissue , thereby preventing or reducing heat from being carried away by blood flow , which in turn , improves a tissue ablation rate . after a desired amount of ablation energy has been delivered , the tissue region tr is necrosed , thereby creating a lesion at the tissue region tr ( fig6 d ). in some embodiments , while ablation energy is being delivered , the degree of compression at the tissue region can be varied ( e . g ., by delivering additional inflation fluid to , or by removing delivered inflation fluid from , the balloon 210 ). in many cases , a single ablation may be sufficient to create a desired lesion . however , if it is desired to perform further ablation to increase the lesion size or to create lesions at different site ( s ) within the same tissue t or elsewhere , the electrodes 206 may be introduced and deployed at different target site ( s ), and the same steps discussed previously may be repeated . when all desired lesions have been created , the electrodes 206 and the balloon 210 are removed from the patient . in the above embodiments , the coupler 212 is configured to secure a relative position between the balloon 210 and the electrode ( s ) 206 . in other embodiments , the coupler 212 can be configured to secure relative positions among two or more balloons and the electrode ( s ) 206 , or among the balloon 210 with two or more sets of electrode ( s ) 206 . fig7 illustrates a coupler 300 in accordance with other embodiments . the coupler 300 includes a first opening 302 sized to mate with a first structure 310 that carries a first set of electrodes 322 , a second opening 304 sized to mate with a second structure 312 that carries a second set of electrodes 324 , a third opening 306 sized to mate with a first shaft 314 that carries a first balloon 318 , and a fourth opening 308 sized to mate with a second shaft 316 that carries a second balloon 320 ( fig8 ). during use , the coupler 300 establishes relative positions among the balloons 318 , 320 , the first set of electrodes 322 , and the second set of electrodes 324 . inflation of the balloons 318 , 320 compresses tissue region tr surrounded by the balloons 318 , 320 and electrodes 322 , 324 ( fig9 ). in other embodiments , instead of having a plurality of electrodes , each of the structures 310 , 312 can carry a single electrode . also , in other embodiments , instead of the rectilinear profile shown , each of the electrodes 322 , 324 can have other shapes . in further embodiments , instead of the shafts 314 , 316 , the openings 306 , 308 can be sized to mate with other structures that are used to carry ( or are coupled to ) the respective balloons 318 , 320 . also , in other embodiments , the coupler 300 can have other shapes and configurations as long as the coupler 300 is capable of establishing a relative position between sets of the electrode ( s ) and balloon ( s ). for example , in other embodiments , instead of a unitary structure shown , the coupler 300 can include two or more components that may or may not be moveable relative to each other . although particular embodiments have been shown and described , it should be understood that the above discussion is not intended to limit the claimed invention . it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention . for example , the array 30 of electrodes 26 can be manufactured as a single component . as such , the “ array of electrodes ” should not be limited to a plurality of separate electrodes , and includes a single structure ( e . g ., an electrode ) having different conductive portions . also , in any of the embodiments described herein , instead of delivering rf energy , the electrode ( s ) can be configured to deliver microwave energy , or other forms of energy . thus , the present invention is intended to cover alternatives , modifications , and equivalents that may fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the claims .
a tissue ablation device includes an array of elongate electrodes configured to be deployed in tissue , wherein the deployed electrode array defines a tissue ablation region , an inflatable balloon configured to be deployed in tissue , and a coupler securing the balloon relative to the one or more elongate electrodes , wherein the balloon , when inflated , is configured to apply a force to tissue located in the tissue ablation region . an ablation device includes a first array of electrodes , a second array of electrodes , a first inflatable balloon , and a coupler securing the first balloon relative to the first and second electrode arrays . a method of ablating tissue includes positioning an array of elongate electrodes and an inflatable balloon proximate tissue to be ablated , inflating the balloon to compress a tissue region located between the balloon and the electrode array , and energizing the electrode array to ablate the tissue region .