Systems and devices for treating lung tumors

A system for treatment of a target region of lung tissue, the system comprising:

• a catheter configured to advance endobronchially into an airway of the lung to position a distal region of the catheter at or in proximity of the target region of the lung tissue,
• a flow regulator configured to be interposed between a conductive fluid source and a conductive fluid outlet at the distal region of the catheter, wherein the flow regulator is configured to control delivery of conductive fluid from the fluid source and through the conductive fluid outlet to the target region;
• an ablation electrode mounted to the distal region of the catheter;
• a controller configured to:
• control the delivery of power from the ablation energy source to the ablation electrode;
• control the flow regulator to control a flow rate or a bolus quantity of the conductive fluid from the fluid source and delivered through the conductive fluid outlet to the target region;
• wherein the controller is further configured to execute a procedure comprising:
• an irrigated ablation phase in which the controller commands the flow regulator to deliver the conductive fluid to the conductive fluid outlet and concomitantly commands delivery of RF ablation energy from the ablation energy source to the ablation electrode, and
• a non-irrigated ablation phase in which the controller commands the flow regulator to substantially stop delivery of conductive fluid to the conductive fluid outlet and concomitantly commands a reduction in the RF ablation energy delivered from the ablation energy source to the ablation electrode.

A method to ablate a target region of lung tissue comprising:

• advancing a catheter endobronchially into an airway of the lung to position a distal region of the catheter at or proximate to the target region,
• controlling a flow of a conductive fluid through the catheter, a conductive fluid outlet in the distal region and into the target region during an irrigated ablation phase;
• applying RF energy at a first power level to an ablation electrode mounted to the distal region of the catheter during the irrigated ablation phase;
• initiating a non-irrigated ablation phase in response to the conductive fluid flowing through the conductive fluid outlet reaching a threshold amount during the irrigated ablation phase, and
• during the non-irrigated ablation phase, reducing the RF energy applied to the ablation electrode to a second power level below the first power level and ceasing or minimizing the flow of the conductive fluid through the conductive fluid outlet.