Surgical devices and methods for use in tissue ablation procedures

A method for ablating heart tissue to ablate conduction paths, the method comprising:

• placing a guide in contact with the tissue to be ablated;
• applying an ablation probe to the tissue using the guide to assist in control of movement of the ablation probe;
• measuring the effectiveness of the ablation probe in ablation of the conduction paths;
• and
• deactivating the ablation probe when the measured effectiveness meets a desired level.

A method for performing surgery on moving organ tissue comprising:

• affixing a contact member on a moving tissue surface;
• providing a surgical instrument that is attached to the contact member to place the surgical instrument in substantially the same frame of motion as the tissue surface;
• and
• performing a surgical procedure with the surgical instrument.