Methods and apparatus of embodiments of the invention are adapted to treat
tissue inside a patient's body. Aspects of the invention can be used in a
wide variety of applications, but certain embodiments provide minimally
invasive alternatives for treating atrial fibrillation by delivering a
tissue-damaging agent to selected areas of the heart. One exemplary
embodiment of the invention provides a method of treating cardiac
arrhythmia. This method includes positioning a distal tissue-contacting
portion of a body in surface contact with a tissue surface of cardiac
tissue; detecting the surface contact between the tissue-contacting
portion and the tissue surface; and thereafter, injecting a
tissue-ablating agent into the cardiac tissue through the
tissue-contacting portion of the body.