Apparatus and method for tissue resection

A method for generating at least one plane of coagulated tissue in biological tissue, comprising:

• positioning an electrode guide on a surface of a biological tissue region that includes a target tissue volume, wherein the electrode guide includes a series of channels that configure two or more pairs of bipolar electrodes in an alternating polarity series, wherein spacing among the channels varies according to a total number of bipolar electrodes received in the guide so that relative spacing among the center-most channels is largest and relative spacing among the end-most channels is smallest;
• securing the bipolar electrodes at a selected depth in the target tissue volume using the electrode guide;
• coupling at least one energy source to the bipolar electrodes using the electrode guide and providing approximately uniform energy distribution through the target tissue volume;
• and
• generating the at least one plane of coagulated tissue in the target tissue volume.

A method for generating a plane of coagulated tissue in biological tissue, comprising:

• positioning an electrode guide in proximity to a target tissue volume;
• inserting two or more pairs of bipolar electrodes into the target tissue volume in a series of alternating polarity via the electrode guide;
• securing the bipolar electrodes at a selected depth in the target tissue volume using components of the electrode guide;
• coupling at least one energy source to the target tissue volume via the bipolar electrodes;
• controlling energy delivery to effect approximately uniform energy distribution through the target tissue volume, wherein a target temperature in the target tissue volume is greater than a temperature approximately in the range of 55 degrees Celsius to 60 degrees Celsius;
• and
• generating the plane of coagulated tissue in the target tissue volume.

A method for resecting a portion of a target organ within a mammalian body with a support body having a first and second end portions and a surface extending between the first and second end portions and a plurality of electrodes extending from the surface and spaced sequentially between the first and second end portions, comprising:

• positioning the electrodes in the vicinity of the target organ;
• extending the electrodes into the target organ;
• supplying a first potential of radio frequency energy to a first group of the plurality of electrodes and a second potential of radio frequency energy to a second group of the plurality of electrodes so that radio frequency energy travels between the first and second groups of electrodes and thus forms a wall of ablated tissue in the target organ;
• and
• incising the target organ in the vicinity of the wall of ablated tissue to resect the portion of the target organ.