System for treating unwanted tissue

Medical thermal ablation apparatus useful for treatment of emphysema or COPD, the apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of electromagnetic signal applicators, the plurality of electromagnetic signal applicators adapted to deliver electromagnetic energy to lung tissues for differential heating of diseased and healthier portions of the lung tissues, the plurality of electromagnetic signal applicators comprising a first set of two or more first electromagnetic signal applicators positionable on one side of a body to be treated and a second set of at least one second electromagnetic signal applicators positionable on a second side of the body to be treated opposed to the first side such that the body is between the first and second electromagnetic signal applicators;
• a heating energy signal generator;
• a selector circuit connected to receive an output signal from the heating energy signal generator and operative to selectively apply the output signal between a selected one or more of the first electromagnetic signal applicators and a selected one or more of the second electromagnetic signal applicators and to switch from applying the output signal between the currently selected first and second electromagnetic signal applicators to between a different selected combination of one or more of the first electromagnetic signal applicators and one or more of the second electromagnetic signal applicators at spaced apart times;
• and
• bias means for biasing one or more of the electromagnetic signal applicators toward the body wherein:
• the bias means comprises an inflatable chamber and a source of a pressurized cool fluid in fluid communication with the inflatable chamber;
• and the one or more of the electromagnetic signal applicators is flexible and the bias means is adapted to flex the one or more of the electromagnetic signal applicators to conform to a concave surface.