System and method for mitigating rising impedance via a pump assembly during use of cooled radiofrequency probes

Abstract

A method of treating tissue of a patient's body includes providing a power source coupled to at least one probe assembly. The probe assembly includes an elongate member with a distal region and a proximal region. The distal region has an electrically and thermally-conductive energy delivery device for delivering one of electrical and radiofrequency energy to the patient's body. The electrically and thermally-conductive energy delivery device has one or more internal lumens for circulating a cooling fluid therethrough and an electrically and thermally-conductive protrusion having a temperature sensing element. The temperature sensing element extends from a distal end of the energy delivery device. The method includes inserting the energy delivery device of the at least one probe assembly into the patient's body. Further, the method includes routing the energy delivery device of the at least one probe assembly to the tissue of the patient's body. The method also includes simultaneously circulating the cooling fluid through the one or more internal lumens via at least one pump assembly and delivering energy from the power source to the tissue through the energy delivery device. Further, the method includes monitoring one or more procedure parameters while delivering the energy from the power source to the tissue through the energy delivery device. Moreover, the method includes determining, in real-time, whether a rising impedance event is likely to occur in a predetermined time period based on the one or more procedure parameters and determining a command for the pump assembly based on whether the rising impedance event is likely to occur in the predetermined time period.