Gas bubble removal for endorectal cooling devices

An endorectal cooling device (ECD) comprising:

• an elongated body having an insertable portion for insertion into a rectum of a patient and an external portion that remains external to the rectum, the insertable portion having an external cooling surface;
• a gas bubble removal channel defined in the elongated body;
• a plurality of holes defined in the external cooling surface, the holes extending from the external cooling surface to the gas bubble removal channel;
• a low-pressure source fluidly coupled to the holes via the gas bubble removal channel;
• a cooling fluid circuit defined in the elongated body, the cooling fluid circuit in thermal communication with the external cooling surface;
• and
• a coil disposed on the external cooling surface, the coil fluidly coupled to a vacuum pump, wherein at least one hole is defined in the coil, and the coil is wrapped around the insertable portion of the ECD in a spiral.

An endorectal cooling device (ECD) comprising:

• an elongated body having an insertable portion for insertion into a rectum of a patient and an external portion that remains external to the rectum, the insertable portion having an external cooling surface;
• a cooling fluid circuit in the elongated body that extends from the external portion to the insertable portion, the cooling fluid circuit circulating a cooling fluid to regulate a temperature of the external cooling surface;
• and
• a gas bubble removal means disposed on or defined in the external cooling surface,
• wherein:
• the gas bubble removal means comprises a tube disposed on the external cooling surface,
• the tube is fluidly coupled to a vacuum pump,
• at least one hole is defined in the tube, and
• the tube comprises a loop of tubing.

An endorectal cooling device (ECD) comprising:

• an elongated body having an insertable portion for insertion into a rectum of a patient and an external portion that remains external to the rectum, the insertable portion having an external cooling surface;
• a gas bubble removal channel defined in the elongated body;
• a plurality of holes defined in the cooling surface, the holes extending from the external cooling surface to the gas bubble removal channel;
• a low-pressure source fluidly coupled to the holes via the gas bubble removal channel;
• a cooling fluid circuit defined in the elongated body, the cooling fluid circuit in thermal communication with the external cooling surface;
• and
• a tube disposed on the external cooling surface, the tube fluidly coupled to a vacuum pump, wherein at least one hole is defined in the tube, and the tube comprises a loop of tubing.