BIPOLAR RADIO FREQUENCY ABLATION DEVICE WITH RETRACTABLE INSULATOR AND METHOD OF USING SAME

摘要

An ablation device, comprises a first tubular element and a first electrode which, when in an insertion configuration, is received within the first tubular element, the first electrode being deployable from the first tubular element to anchor in a target portion of tissue at a first electrode operative position in combination with a second electrode which, when in the insertion configuration, is received within the first tubular element, the second electrode being deployable from the first tubular element to anchor in the target portion of tissue at a second electrode operative position separated from the first electrode operative position, the second electrode being deployable independently of the first electrode and an insulating element movable relative to the first electrode to insulate selected portions of the first electrode. A method of ablating tissue, comprises anchoring a first electrode at a first location in a target portion of tissue, deploying a second electrode at a second location in the target portion of tissue and applying current between the first and second electrodes to ablate a first ablation portion of tissue between the first and second electrodes in combination with moving an insulative cover relative to the first electrode to move a conductive portion of the first electrode to a third location within the target tissue, the third location being further from the second location than the first location, moving the second electrode to a fourth location within the target tissue, the fourth location being further from the first location than the second location and applying current between the conductive portion of the first electrode and the second electrode to ablate a second ablation portion of tissue surrounding the first ablation portion of tissue.