Cryogen pump
AssigneeIcecure Medical Ltd.
InventorsRon Hilleli, Shai Kaufman, Naum Muchnik
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Apparatus, consisting of a probe, containing a lumen and having a distal end configured to contact tissue of a living subject. A temperature sensor is located at the distal end, and a pump, having a pump motor, is coupled to deliver a cryogenic fluid through the lumen to the distal end of the probe and to receive the cryogenic fluid returning from the probe. There is a separator, coupled to separate the returning cryogenic fluid into a returning cryogenic liquid and a returning cryogenic gas, and a flow meter, coupled to measure a rate of flow of the returning cryogenic gas. A processor is configured to control a rate of pumping of the pump motor in response to a temperature measured by the temperature sensor and the rate of flow of the returning cryogenic gas.
Claims20
An apparatus for cryogenic treatment of a tissue of a living subject, the apparatus comprising:
- a probe, containing a lumen and having a distal end configured to contact the tissue of the living subject;
- a temperature sensor located at the distal end;
- a pump, comprising a pump motor, coupled to deliver a cryogenic fluid through the lumen to the distal end of the probe and to receive the cryogenic fluid returning from the probe;
- a separator, coupled to separate the returning cryogenic fluid into a returning cryogenic liquid and a returning cryogenic gas;
- a flow meter, coupled to measure a rate of flow of the returning cryogenic gas;
- and
- a processor configured to control a rate of pumping of the pump motor in response to a temperature measured by the temperature sensor and the rate of flow of the returning cryogenic gas.
A method of operating a cryogenic pumping system, comprising:
- providing a probe containing a lumen and having a distal end, that is configured to contact tissue of a living subject;
- locating a temperature sensor at the distal end;
- coupling a pump, comprising a pump motor, to deliver a cryogenic fluid through the lumen to the distal end of the probe and to receive the cryogenic fluid returning from the probe;
- separating the returning cryogenic fluid into a returning cryogenic liquid and a returning cryogenic gas;
- measuring a rate of flow of the returning cryogenic gas;
- and
- controlling a rate of pumping of the pump motor in response to a temperature measured by the temperature sensor and the rate of flow of the returning cryogenic gas.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.