Electrosurgical system employing multiple electrodes

1. A system for heat ablation of tissue in a patient comprising:

a radiofrequency source configured to supply radiofrequency energy to at least two electrodes for treating tissue;

at least one return electrode configured to return the radiofrequency energy to the radiofrequency source;

a controller configured to sequentially apply the radiofrequency energy to each of the at least two electrodes for a pre-determinable period of time, wherein the pre-determinable period of time is determined by a surgical procedure or the number of electrodes, the controller further including:

a determiner configured to determine an off time for a next electrode in a sequence;

a comparator configured to compare the off time for the next electrode in the sequence to a predetermined minimum off time wherein the controller applies the radiofrequency energy to the next electrode in the sequence when the off time is greater than the predetermined minimum off time;

current and voltage measuring circuitry operably connected to at least one of the at least two electrodes, wherein an impedance is calculated based on the measured current and voltage; and

circuitry that restricts the flow of radiofrequency energy to at least one of the at least two electrodes when the calculated impedance exceeds a threshold impedance and that allows the flow of radiofrequency energy to at least one of the at least two electrodes when the calculated impedance does not exceed a threshold impedance, wherein the threshold impedance relates to a baseline impedance and a predetermined differential impedance wherein the predetermined differential impedance is about 30 ohms if the baseline impedance is less than about 100 ohms.

2. The system as in claim 1 , further comprising:

an internal load; and

circuitry configured to switch the radiofrequency energy to the internal load;

wherein the radiofrequency energy is switched to the internal load when the off time is less than the predetermined minimum off time.

3. The system as in claim 1 , wherein the baseline impedance includes the lowest calculated impedance obtained in the initial seconds of radiofrequency energy delivery.

4. The system as in claim 1 , in which the baseline impedance includes the lowest average of consecutive calculated impedances obtained during the initial 30 seconds of radio frequency energy delivery.

5. The system in claim 1 , further comprising:

circuitry configured to sequence the delivery of radiofrequency energy between the at least two electrodes, wherein the at least two electrodes are skipped if the calculated impedance is above a predetermined threshold.

6. The system as in claim 1 , further comprising:

an internal load; and

circuitry configured to direct the radiofrequency energy to the internal load when the calculated impedance is above a predetermined threshold.

7. The system as in claim 1 , further comprising:

an internal load; and

circuitry configured to switch the radiofrequency energy to the internal load;

wherein radiofrequency energy is applied simultaneously to the internal load and one of the at least two electrodes.

8. The system as in claim 1 , further comprising at least one cooling mechanism configured to at least partially cool one of the at least two electrodes.

9. The system as in claim 1 , further comprising:

circuitry configured to measure current to at least one of the at least two electrodes, wherein the controller reduces the duty cycle if the measured current exceeds a predetermined current limit.

10. The system as in claim 9 , in which the predetermined current limit is about 2 amps.

11. The system as in claim 1 , further comprising:

temperature measuring circuitry electrically coupled to at least one of the at one of the at least two electrodes;

wherein the applied energy at a first electrode is switched to a next electrode when the temperature at the first electrode is greater than a predetermined temperature.

12. A system for heat ablation of tissue in a patient comprising:

a radiofrequency source configured to supply radiofrequency energy to at least two electrodes for treating tissue;

at least one return electrode configured to return the radiofrequency energy to the radiofrequency source;

a controller configured to sequentially apply the radiofrequency energy to each of the at least two electrodes for a pre-determinable period of time, wherein the pre-determinable period of time is determined by a surgical procedure or the number of electrodes, the controller further including:

a determiner configured to determine an off time for a next electrode in a sequence;

a comparator configured to compare the off time for the next electrode in the sequence to a predetermined minimum off time wherein the controller applies the radiofrequency energy to the next electrode in the sequence when the off time is greater than the predetermined minimum off time;

current and voltage measuring circuitry operably connected to at least one of the at least two electrodes wherein an impedance is calculated based on the measured current and voltage; and

circuitry that restricts the flow of radiofrequency energy to at least one of the at least two electrodes when the calculated impedance exceeds a threshold impedance and that allows the flow of radiofrequency energy to at least one of the at least two electrodes when the calculated impedance does not exceed a threshold impedance, wherein the threshold impedance relates to a baseline impedance and a predetermined differential impedance wherein the predetermined differential impedance is about 30% of the baseline impedance if the baseline impedance is greater than about 100 ohms.

13. The system as in claim 12 , further comprising:

an internal load; and

circuitry configured to switch the radiofrequency energy to the internal load;

wherein the radiofrequency energy is switched to the internal load when the off time is less than the predetermined minimum off time.

14. The system as in claim 12 , wherein the baseline impedance includes the lowest calculated impedance obtained in the initial seconds of radiofrequency energy delivery.

15. The system as in claim 12 , in which the baseline impedance includes the lowest average of consecutive calculated impedances obtained during the initial 30 seconds of radio frequency energy delivery.

16. The system in claim 12 , further comprising:

circuitry configured to sequence the delivery of radiofrequency energy between the at least two electrodes, wherein the at least two electrodes are skipped if the calculated impedance is above a predetermined threshold.

17. The system as in claim 12 , further comprising:

an internal load; and

circuitry configured to direct the radiofrequency energy to the internal load when the calculated impedance is above a predetermined threshold.

18. The system as in claim 12 , further comprising:

an internal load; and

circuitry configured to switch the radiofrequency energy to the internal load;

wherein radiofrequency energy is applied simultaneously to the internal load and one of the at least two electrodes.

19. The system as in claim 12 , further comprising at least one cooling mechanism configured to at least partially cool one of the at least two electrodes.

20. The system as in claim 12 , further comprising:

circuitry configured to measure current to at least one of the at least two electrodes, wherein the controller reduces the duty cycle if the measured current exceeds a predetermined current limit.

21. The system as in claim 20 , in which the predetermined current limit is about 2 amps.

22. The system as in claim 12 , further comprising:

temperature measuring circuitry electrically coupled to at least one of the at one of the at least two electrodes;

wherein the applied energy at a first electrode is switched to a next electrode when the temperature at the first electrode is greater than a predetermined temperature.

23. A system for heat ablation of tissue in a patient comprising:

a radiofrequency source configured to supply radiofrequency energy to at least two electrodes for treating tissue;

at least one return electrode configured to return the radiofrequency energy to the radiofrequency source;

an internal load;

circuitry configured to switch the radiofrequency energy to the internal load; and

a controller configured to sequentially apply the radiofrequency energy to each of the at least two electrodes for a pre-determinable period of time, wherein the pre-determinable period of time is determined by a surgical procedure or the number of electrodes, the controller further including:

a determiner configured to determine an off time for a next electrode in a sequence;

a comparator configured to compare the off time for the next electrode in the sequence to a predetermined minimum off time;

wherein the controller applies the radiofrequency energy to the next electrode in the sequence when the off time is greater than the predetermined minimum off time and radiofrequency energy is applied simultaneously to the internal load and one of the at least two electrodes.

24. The system as in claim 23 , further comprising:

circuitry configured to sequence the delivery of radiofrequency energy between the at least two electrodes, wherein the at least two electrodes are skipped if the calculated impedance is above a predetermined threshold.

25. The system as in claim 23 , further comprising at least one cooling mechanism configured to at least partially cool one of the at least two electrodes.

26. The system as in claim 23 , further comprising:

circuitry configured to measure current to at least one of the at least two electrodes, wherein the controller reduces the duty cycle if the measured current exceeds a predetermined current limit.

27. The system as in claim 26 , in which the predetermined current limit is about 2 amps.

28. The system as in claim 23 , further comprising:

temperature measuring circuitry electrically coupled to at least one of the at one of the at least two electrodes;

wherein the applied energy at a first electrode is switched to a next electrode when the temperature at the first electrode is greater than a predetermined temperature.