A microwave system comprises: a microwave generator; and a microwave cable apparatus comprising a coaxial cable, wherein an exposed distal portion of an inner conductor of the coaxial cable is longer than an outer conductor of the coaxial cable, and wherein at least part of the exposed distal portion of the inner conductor is bent with respect to a longitudinal axis of the coaxial cable, thereby to provide a directional radiating element; wherein the microwave generator is configured to provide microwave energy to the cable apparatus at a frequency that provides directional radiation of microwave energy having a desired directionality from the radiating element.

A method and system for monitoring a microwave tissue ablation process, particularly the determination of an ablation size estimate during microwave ablation of such tissue. The method includes applying a correction value to the determined temperature value, so as to provide a corrected temperature value.

An electrosurgical instrument having a microwave ablation antenna dimensioned to be suitable for insertion into a pancreas via a surgical scoping device, to provide a rapid and accurate alternative to known RF ablation techniques. The instrument comprises a radiating tip portion connected at a distal end of a flexible coaxial cable that conveys microwave energy. The radiating tip portion comprises a proximal coaxial transmission line for conveying the microwave energy and a distal needle tip mounted at a distal end of the coaxial transmission line, wherein the distal needle tip operates as a half wavelength transformer. The length of the radiating tip portion may be in the range from 5 mm to 80 mm.

A tissue ablation system includes an antenna, a microwave energy source, measurement apparatus including a signal generator and a detector, a controller, and a switch assembly arranged to alternatively electrically couple the antenna to the microwave energy source or to the measurement apparatus, wherein the controller is configured to cause the switch assembly to alternate between assessment mode and ablation mode, and wherein the controller is configured to control the delivery of ablative microwave energy during an ablation mode based at least in part on a difference between a then-current broadband reflection coefficient spectrum and a previously measured broadband reflection coefficient spectrum obtained by delivery of a spectrum of individual non-ablative microwave signals and detecting the reflection of same during respective assessment modes.

A reservoir for supplying a cooling fluid to a medical ablation probe includes a wall defining a chamber therein, an outlet fluid port and an inlet fluid port each in fluid communication with the chamber, cooling fluid disposed within the chamber, and a thermochromic material thermally coupled to the cooling fluid. The thermochromic material is configured to exhibit a first color when the cooling fluid is below a threshold temperature, and a second color when the cooling fluid is above the threshold temperature.

An exemplary ablation system is provided. The system is designed for safe and efficacious energy delivery into tissue by, for example, emitting energy in a controlled, repeatable manner that allows for feedback and energy emission titration based on sensed parameters (e.g., tissue temperature) measured during ablation. The system may include a switching antenna for both heating of target tissue and radiometry to monitor the temperature of the heated tissue. For example, the switching antenna may include a monopole formed by proximal and distal radiating elements, such that the proximal radiating element includes a short to defeat a choke action of the proximal radiating element. The system further includes a processor for calculating the temperature of the target tissue and estimating volume of the ablation lesion based on the target tissue temperature.

An electrosurgical energy channel splitter apparatus includes a channel input a plurality of channel outputs, and a controller. The channel input is configured to receive electrosurgical energy from an electrosurgical energy source. Each channel output is configured to couple to a respective electrosurgical device. The controller is coupled to the channel input and the plurality of channel outputs. The controller is configured to selectively direct the electrosurgical energy from the channel input to one of the plurality of channel outputs.

A microwave ablation system includes an energy source adapted to generate microwave energy and a power splitting device having an input adapted to connect to the energy source and a plurality of outputs. The plurality of outputs are configured to be coupled to a corresponding plurality of energy delivery devices. The power splitting device is configured to selectively divide energy provided from the energy source between the plurality of energy devices.

The electrosurgical systems and corresponding methods of the present disclosure involve an electrosurgical generator, sensing circuitry, and a controller. The electrosurgical generator includes a radio frequency (RF) output stage that supplies power to tissue. The sensing circuitry measures impedance of tissue. The controller controls the power supplied from the RF output stage to track a nonlinear power curve until the power supplied from the RF output stage has reached a predetermined peak power of the nonlinear power curve. The controller further determines whether a tissue reaction has occurred based on impedance measured by the sensing circuitry and controls the power supplied from the RF output stage during a cooling phase if the controller determines that a tissue reaction has occurred. The controller may further control the power supplied from the RF output stage to track a linear power curve.

Microwave ablation systems and methods use a cable assembly including a signal divider device that enables use of multiple microwave antennas through a single channel of a microwave generator. The cable assembly includes a microwave transmission line, a signal divider device having multiple ports coupled to an end portion of the microwave transmission line, an electrical line, and a monitoring circuit coupled to an end portion of the electrical line. The monitoring circuit is configured to acquire information regarding multiple devices coupled to multiple respective ports of the signal divider device and convert the information regarding multiple devices to single channel information. The single channel information is inserted in a communication packet and transmitted to the microwave generator via the electrical line. The signal divider device includes a temperature sensor, which the monitoring circuit monitors to ensure that the temperature of the signal divider device circuitry remains within temperature limits.