Method and device for thermal ablation of hollow body organs

A method for thermally ablating a gallbladder, said method comprising the following steps performed in a preselected order:

• sealing the cystic duct to inhibit leakage from the gallbladder;
• introducing a substantially unheated thermally conductive medium into the gallbladder;
• and
• heating the thermally conductive medium within the gallbladder to a temperature and for a time period sufficient to induce fibrosis of the of the gallbladder.

A method for thermally ablating a gallbladder, said method comprising:

• percutaneously introducing a catheter into the interior of the gallbladder, said catheter having proximal and distal ends and including a heating means and an inflation balloon at its distal end;
• followed by the following steps performed in a preselected order:
• introducing a substantially unheated thermally conductive medium through the catheter to the interior of the gallbladder;
• inflating the balloon to seal the cystic duct to inhibit leakage of the thermally conductive medium from the interior of the gallbladder;
• and
• heating the thermally conductive medium within the interior of the gallbladder using the heating means on the catheter to a temperature sufficient to destroy the mucosa of the gallbladder, whereby the gallbladder will subsequently fibrose and be resorbed over time.