System and process of utilizing microwave energy for treating biological tissue

A process for heat treating biological tissue, comprising the steps of:

• providing a plurality of energy emitters formed into an array;
• generating treatment energy comprising microwave energy from the plurality of emitters;
• providing an initial treatment to the target tissue by repeatedly applying the energy to the target tissue in a pulsed manner for the exposure duration comprising less than one second;
• halting application of the pulsed energy to the target tissue for an interval of time comprising between three seconds and three minutes;
• and
• providing a secondary treatment to the target tissue after the interval of time, within a single treatment session, by repeatedly reapplying the pulsed energy for the exposure duration comprising less than one second;
• wherein the treatment energy has energy and application parameters selected so as to raise the target tissue temperature sufficiently to create a therapeutic effect while maintaining an average temperature of the target tissue over several minutes at or below a predetermined temperature so as to not destroy or permanently damage the target tissue.