Apparatus and method for supplying coolant to a medical instrument
AssigneeErbe Elektromedizin GmbH
InventorsVolker Mayer, Frank Straub, Martin Georg Fritz, Waldemar Wandel
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus for supply of coolant, particularly CO2 that is preferably provided in bottles, to cryosurgical instruments. The device may be a mechanical or thermal compression device. A pump may supply the CO2 taken from the bottle in a buffer container with a desired operation pressure. The pressure in the gas bottle can be less than the desired operation pressure. The apparatus includes a tempering device that is configured to bring the coolant to a desired temperature, particularly a temperature that is higher than the temperature in the gas bottle or in another storage container.
Claims14
A device for supply of CO2 coolant to a medical instrument, the device comprising:
- a storage container configured for storage of a first supply of CO2 coolant in compressed condition with a first pressure P0 sufficiently low to maintain coolant in a gaseous phase at temperatures between about 15° C. and 25° C.;
- a control device containing:
- a buffer container configured for storage of a second supply of CO2 coolant in compressed condition with a second pressure P1, higher than the first pressure P0, sufficiently low to maintain the coolant in a gaseous phase having no droplets at temperatures between about 15° C. and 25° C.;
- and
- a tempering device configured to actively heat the buffer container and CO2 coolant;
- and
- an instrument configured to receive the coolant as a gas.
A method for providing a coolant for a medical instrument, the method comprising:
- taking coolant from a storage container at a first pressure P0;
- sufficiently low to maintain coolant in a gaseous phase at temperatures between about 15° C. and 25° C.
- conveying coolant in a buffer container;
- increasing the pressure of the coolant during the conveyance in the buffer container or after the conveyance while maintaining the coolant in a gaseous phase at temperatures between about 15° C. and 25° C.;
- and
- actively heating the coolant in the buffer container during and/or after its compression sufficient to supply the coolant to a supply connection in the gaseous phase.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.