Indirect fluid flow measurement

1. A method for ablating tissue, comprising:

controlling a heating element using a variable phase angle control to heat an ablation fluid to a desired temperature; and

determining a heating percentage corresponding to a percentage of a maximum available heating power represented by a current level of power supplied to the heating element and, when the heating percentage remains below a threshold level for a predetermined period of time, indicating a flow obstruction condition of the fluid.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein power supplied to the heating element is controlled by a proportional, integral and derivative algorithm.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the predetermined time varies based on a desired temperature to which the fluid is to be heated.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the variable phase angle control selectively pulses on and off signals to substantially maintain a desired temperature.

5. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

computing an average heating percentage needed to substantially maintain a desired temperature; and

referencing the average heating percentage to determine a rate of fluid flow through the device.

6. The method according to claim 5 , further comprising indicating a flow obstruction condition of the fluid if the flow rate falls out of a predetermined normal range.

7. A system for thermal ablation, comprising:

a heating element heating an ablation fluid; and

a computing arrangement controlling power supplied to the heating element based on a proportional, integral and derivative (PID) algorithm, the computing arrangement monitoring power required by the heating element to sustain a desired temperature of the ablation fluid and executing a safety procedure when the power supplied to the heating element over a predetermined period of time drops below a threshold level.

8. The system according to claim 7 , wherein the PID algorithm generates a phase angle delay based on a timing of a half wave phase of an alternating current supply to adjust power and computes a percentage of heat corresponding to a plurality of phase angle delays.

9. The system according to claim 7 , further comprising a thermistor detecting a temperature of the ablation fluid.

10. The system according to claim 7 , wherein the safety procedure comprises at least one of producing one of an audible and a visible warning and suspending a supply of fluid to a patient.

11. The system according to claim 10 , further comprising a delivery lumen for delivering heated ablation fluid to a patient, suspension of fluid flow comprising temporarily sealing the delivery lumen.

12. A system for thermal ablation, comprising:

a heating element heating an ablation fluid; and

a controller coupled to the heating element, the controller adjusting an amount of power supplied to the heating element using a variable phase angle control to heat the ablation fluid to a desired temperature, the controller determining a heating percentage corresponding to a percentage of a maximum available heating power represented by an amount of power currently supplied to the heating element wherein, when the heating percentage remains below a threshold level for a predetermined period of time, the controller indicates a flow obstruction condition of the ablation fluid.

13. The system according to claim 12 , wherein the controller adjusts the power supplied to the heating element utilizing a phase angle delay based on a timing of a half wave phase of an alternating current supply and computes the percentage of heat corresponding to each of a plurality of phase angle delays.

14. The system according to claim 12 , further comprising a thermistor detecting a temperature of the ablation fluid.

15. The system according to claim 12 , wherein the safety procedure comprises at least one of producing one of an audible and a visible warning and suspending a supply of fluid to a patient.

16. The system according to claim 15 , further comprising a delivery lumen for supplying heated ablation fluid to a patient, the suspension of fluid flow comprising temporarily sealing the delivery lumen.