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A medical probe assembly and method for ablating tissue using radio frequency energy. The medical probe assembly includes an elongated shaft, a needle electrode array, and a hinged handle. The handle has a collar, which when in the up position covers the hinge so that the device can be used as a con

A medical probe assembly and method for ablating tissue using radio frequency energy. The medical probe assembly includes an elongated shaft, a needle electrode array, and a hinged handle. The handle has a collar, which when in the up position covers the hinge so that the device can be used as a conventional medical probe. When the collar is in the down position the hinge is exposed, and the handle can be bent to reduce its overall height. With this reduced height the probe can be used while a patient is lying in a CT scanner or an MRI chamber. Therefore, the surgeon can monitor the ablation during the procedure, and thus avoid unnecessary damage to the surrounding healthy tissue on the one hand, and insufficient ablation of the diseased tissue on the other hand. An alternate embodiment uses a flexible handle instead of a hinged one.

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What is claimed is: 1. A medical probe assembly for ablating tissue, comprising: an elongated rigid probe having a proximal end and a distal end; one or more ablative electrodes mounted on the probe; a bendable handle assembly mounted on the proximal end of the probe, the handle assembly comprising

What is claimed is: 1. A medical probe assembly for ablating tissue, comprising: an elongated rigid probe having a proximal end and a distal end; one or more ablative electrodes mounted on the probe; a bendable handle assembly mounted on the proximal end of the probe, the handle assembly comprising a radio frequency connector and one or more radio frequency wires electrically coupled between the radio frequency connector and the one or more electrodes; and a connector piece electrically coupled between the radio frequency connector and the radio frequency wires, the connector piece being slideably disposed inside of the radio frequency connector in an interference arrangement, while remaining in conductive contact with the radio frequency connector. 2. The medical probe assembly of claim 1, wherein the handle assembly is configured to be selectively placed in a locked position so that the handle assembly is substantially rigid, and an unlocked position so that the handle assembly can be hinged. 3. The medical probe assembly of claim 1, wherein the handle assembly is cylindrical. 4. The medical probe assembly of claim 1, wherein the one or more electrodes comprise a plurality of electrodes that form an electrode array. 5. The medical probe assembly of claim 4, wherein the electrodes are needle electrodes. 6. The medical probe assembly of claim 1, wherein the radio frequency wires have slack. 7. The medical probe assembly of claim 1, wherein the handle assembly comprises a slideable switch coupled to the one or more electrodes for selectively deploying and retracting the one or more electrodes. 8. The medical probe assembly of claim 7, further comprising a push-pull rod coupled between the slideable switch and the one or more ablative elements. 9. The medical probe assembly of claim 8, wherein the push-pull rod is laterally flexible. 10. The medical probe assembly of claim 1, wherein the probe comprises a cannula and an inner shaft slideably disposed within the cannula, wherein the handle assembly is mounted to the cannula, and the one or more electrodes are mounted to the inner shaft. 11. The medical probe assembly of claim 1, wherein the handle assembly is hinged. 12. The medical probe assembly of claim 11, wherein the handle assembly comprises first and second handle pieces, and a hinge coupling the first and second handle pieces. 13. The medical probe assembly of claim 12, wherein the handle assembly further comprises a slideable collar that can be selectively located to cover and uncover the hinge. 14. The medical probe assembly of claim 1, wherein the handle assembly is flexible. 15. The medical probe assembly of claim 14, wherein the bendable handle assembly is composed of a low durometer material. 16. The medical probe assembly of claim 14, wherein the bendable handle assembly comprises a flexible handle and a rigid sleeve that can be selectively located to cover and uncover the flexible handle. 17. The medical probe assembly of claim 1, further comprising an actuator that can be manually manipulated to deploy the one or more electrodes. 18. The medical probe assembly of claim 1, wherein the one or more electrodes comprise a plurality of electrodes that form an electrode array. 19. The medical probe assembly of claim 18, wherein the electrodes are needle electrodes. 20. A medical probe assembly, comprising: an elongated rigid probe having a proximal end and a distal end; an operative element mounted on the distal end of the probe; and a hingeable handle assembly mounted on the proximal end of the probe, the handle assembly comprising first and second handle pieces, a hinge coupling the first and second handle pieces, a slideable collar that can be selectively located to cover and uncover the hinge, and an actuator that can be manually manipulated to deploy the operative element. 21. The medical probe assembly of claim 20, wherein the handle assembly is configured to be selectively placed in a locked position so that the handle assembly is substantially rigid, and an unlocked position so that the handle assembly can be hinged. 22. The medical probe assembly of claim 21, wherein the probe comprises a cannula and an inner probe slideably disposed within the cannula, wherein the handle assembly is mounted to the cannula, and the operative element is mounted to the inner probe. 23. The medical probe assembly of claim 20, wherein the handle assembly is cylindrical. 24. The medical probe assembly of claim 20, wherein the actuator can be manipulated to selectively deploy and retract the operative element. 25. The medical probe assembly of claim 24, wherein the actuator comprises a slideable switch coupled to the operative element. 26. The medical probe assembly of claim 25, further comprising a push-pull rod coupled between the slideable switch and the operative element. 27. The medical probe assembly of claim 26, wherein the push-pull rod is flexible. 28. The medical probe assembly of claim 20, wherein the operative element comprises a therapeutic element. 29. The medical probe assembly of claim 28, wherein the therapeutic element comprises one or more ablative elements. 30. The medical probe assembly of claim 29, wherein the ablative elements are electrodes. 31. The medical probe assembly of claim 30, wherein the handle assembly comprises a radio frequency connector, and one or more radio frequency wires electrically coupled between the radio frequency connector and the one or more electrodes. 32. The medical probe assembly of claim 30, wherein the one or more electrodes comprise a plurality of electrodes that form an electrode array. 33. The medical probe assembly of claim 30, wherein the electrodes are needle electrodes. 34. The medical probe assembly of claim 31, wherein the radio frequency wires have slack. 35. The medical probe assembly of claim 31, further comprising a connector piece electrically coupled between the radio frequency connector and the radio frequency wires, the connector piece, being slideably disposed inside of the radio frequency connector in an interference arrangement, while remaining in conductive contact with the radio frequency connector. 36. The medical probe assembly of claim 20, wherein the operative element is a diagnostic element. 37. The medical probe assembly of claim 20, wherein each of the first and second handle pieces is rigid. 38. The medical probe assembly of claim 20, wherein the first and second handle pieces abut each other in an end-to-end arrangement. 39. The medical probe assembly of claim 20, wherein the hinge enables the first and second handle pieces to be alternatively placed in an axially aligned configuration and an axially misaligned configuration. 40. The medical probe assembly of claim 20, wherein the first and second handle pieces are configured to be arranged as a single contiguous handle. 41. A medical probe assembly for ablating tissue, comprising: an elongated rigid probe having a proximal end and a distal end; one or more ablative elements mounted on the probe; and a handle assembly mounted on the proximal end of the probe, the handle assembly comprising first and second handle pieces, a hinge coupling the first and second handle pieces, and a slideable collar that can be selectively located to cover and uncover the hinge. 42. The medical probe assembly of claim 41, wherein the handle assembly is configured to be selectively placed by manipulation of the slideable collar in a locked position so that the handle assembly is substantially rigid, and an unlocked position so that the handle assembly can be hinged. 43. The medical probe assembly of claim 41, wherein the handle assembly is cylindrical. 44. The medical probe assembly of claim 41, wherein the one or more ablative elements comprises one or more ablation electrodes. 45. The medical probe assembly of claim 44, wherein the handle assembly comprises a radio frequency connector, and one or more radio frequency wires electrically coupled between the radio frequency connector and the one or more electrodes. 46. The medical probe assembly of claim 45, wherein the radio frequency wires have slack. 47. The medical probe assembly of claim 41, wherein the handle assembly comprises a slideable switch coupled to the one or more ablative elements for selectively deploying and retracting the one or more ablative elements. 48. The medical probe assembly of claim 47, further comprising a push-pull rod coupled between the slideable switch and the one or more ablative elements. 49. The medical probe assembly of claim 48, wherein the push-pull rod is laterally flexible. 50. The medical probe assembly of claim 41, wherein the probe comprises a cannula and an inner shaft slideably disposed within the cannula, wherein the handle assembly is mounted to the cannula, and the one or more ablative elements are mounted to the inner shaft. 51. The medical probe assembly of claim 41, wherein each of the first and second handle pieces is rigid. 52. The medical probe assembly of claim 41, wherein the first and second handle pieces abut each other in an end-to-end arrangement. 53. The medical probe assembly of claim 41, wherein the hinge enables the first and second handle pieces to be alternatively placed in an axially aligned configuration and an axially misaligned configuration. 54. The medical probe assembly of claim 41, wherein the first and second handle pieces are configured to be arranged as a single contiguous handle.