Abstract: Energy delivery systems and methods are provided for use in biological tissue. The energy delivery system includes an energy source and an electrode array. The electrode array includes bipolar electrodes positioned so a first spacing between a pair of adjacent electrodes is different relative to a second spacing between at least one other pair of adjacent electrodes. The electrode array and the energy source are coupled and configured to generate uniform energy density in target tissue according to impedance of the target tissue.

Abstract: A coagulation system is provided for use in biological tissue. The coagulation system includes a handle, a radiofrequency (RF) generator, and an electrode array. The electrode array includes two or more pair of bipolar electrodes slideably coupled in channels of the handle. The bipolar electrodes electrically couple to the RF generator, and the electrode array is configured to deliver a balanced energy density in a target volume of the biological tissue. The balanced energy density delivered by the electrode array results in thermal coagulation necrosis of a rectangular volume of biological tissue.

Abstract: Methods for performing coagulation necrosis of biological tissue are provided. The methods include configuring electrode arrays to provide balanced energy density in target tissue volumes using two or more pair of electrodes. The electrode array configuration includes at least one of irregular spacing between one or more pairs of electrodes and one or more electrode diameters. The methods further include deploying each electrode of an array at a selected depth in the target tissue volume in accordance with the configuration. Energy is then delivered to the target tissue volume using power sources coupled to the electrodes. The methods control power delivery in response to at least one of elapsed time of delivery, temperatures of the target tissue volume, and impedance levels in the target tissue volume to provide balanced or uniform energy throughout the target tissue volume. The methods generate planes of coagulated tissue.

Abstract: A tissue ablation system is described that generates a uniform avascular plane of coagulated tissue to aid in the bloodless or near-bloodless resection of various biological tissues from a variety of organs. The tissue ablation system includes an energy director guide and two or more sets of bipolar energy directors. The energy director guide includes a series of channels that configure the energy directors to provide approximately uniform power distribution or current density through a target tissue volume or plane. The spacing among the channels of the energy director guide varies according to the total number of energy directors received in the energy director guide so that relative spacing among the center-most channels is largest and relative spacing among the end-most channels is smallest. The energy director guide secures a selected position of each of the energy directors in the target tissue volume.