Fluid container replacement system and method

A cryogenic fluid supply system for a cryogenic balloon catheter system including a cryoballoon catheter, the cryogenic fluid supply system comprising:

• a cryogenic fluid container configured to contain a cryogenic fluid;
• a pressure line fluidly coupled to the cryogenic fluid container and adapted for coupling to the cryoballoon catheter, the pressure line configured to selectively deliver the cryogenic fluid to the cryoballoon catheter from the cryogenic fluid container;
• a vent conduit in fluid communication with the pressure line, the vent conduit including an in-line control valve, the vent conduit configured to selectively vent the cryogenic fluid from the pressure line through the control valve;
• a pressure sensor configured to sense a line pressure of the cryogenic fluid within the pressure line and to generate a sensor output based thereon;
• a graphical user interface (GUI);
• and
• a controller operatively connected to the GUI and configured to receive and process the sensor output and determine whether the cryogenic fluid container is closed based on the sensor output;
• wherein the GUI is configured to instruct a user, responsive to the determination by the controller whether the cryogenic fluid container is closed, as to whether replacing the fluid container with a replacement fluid container is permissible by determining based on the sensor output that the line pressure of the cryogenic fluid within the pressure line is below a threshold line pressure.

A method for replacing a cryogenic fluid container of a cryogenic fluid supply system for a cryogenic balloon catheter system including a cryoballoon catheter, the cryogenic fluid container being fluidly coupled to a pressure line configured to deliver cryogenic fluid from the cryogenic fluid container to the cryoballoon catheter, the method comprising:

• opening a control valve fluidly coupled to the pressure line so as to vent the cryogenic fluid contained therein;
• generating a pressure sensor output indicative of a sensed line pressure within the pressure line;
• receiving, by a controller, the pressure sensor output;
• and
• determining, by the controller based on the pressure sensor output, whether the cryogenic fluid container is closed based on the pressure sensor output, whether the cryogenic fluid container is closed includes comparing the sensed line pressure of the cryogenic fluid within the pressure line with a threshold line pressure;
• and
• replacing the cryogenic fluid container with a replacement fluid container.