Spray nozzle design for a catheter
AssigneeMedtronic CryoCath LP
InventorJean-Pierre LALONDE
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A catheter-based medical device including controlled refrigerant dispersion is disclosed. The device includes a fluid injection tube that carries refrigerant from a coolant supply to the distal portion of the device. A fluid dispersion unit is disposed on the distal end of the fluid tube to control the angle of distribution for refrigerant that is expelled from the fluid injection tube. Controlling the angle of distribution for the refrigerant facilitates dispersion of the fluid in a predetermined spray pattern. The disclosure further relates to cryoablation treatment systems incorporating such a catheter, and to cryoablation treatment methods for tissue treatment to address various conditions suitably treatable with cryoablation.
Claims20
A cryoablation device comprising:
- a flexible outer tubular member including a distal end;
- an expandable chamber defining a proximal end coupled to the distal end of the outer tubular member;
- an injection tubular member substantially spanning the length of the outer tubular member and in fluid communication with an interior of the expandable chamber, the injection tubular member having a proximal end configured to he coupled to a source of cryoablation fluid and a distal end within the expandable chamber, the distal end of the injection tubular member being distal to the distal end of the outer tubular member;
- a fluid nozzle located in a distalmost end face of the distal end of the injection tubular member;
- a fluid dispersion unit coupled to the distal end of the injection tubular member and having a longitudinal axis, the distal end of the injection tubular member being coiled about the longitudinal axis, the fluid nozzle being located within the fluid dispersion unit and being configured to direct a flow of fluid into the fluid dispersion unit in a direction that is tangential to the longitudinal axis of the fluid dispersion unit, the fluid dispersion unit having an opening at the distalmost end face;
- and
- a compression spring distal to the fluid dispersion unit and within the expandable chamber, the compression spring being selectively moveable along the longitudinal axis.
A cryoablation device comprising:
- a flexible outer tubular member including a distal end;
- an expandable chamber defining a proximal end coupled to the distal end of the outer tubular member;
- an injection tubular member substantially spanning the length of the flexible outer tubular member and in fluid communication with an interior of the expandable chamber, the injection tubular member having a proximal end configured to be coupled to a source of cryoablation fluid and a distal end within the expandable chamber, the distal end of the injection tubular member having a coiled segment, the coiled segment being distal to the distal end of the outer tubular member;
- a fluid nozzle located in a distalmost end face of the distal end of the injection tubular member;
- a dispersion unit coupled to the distal end of the injection tubular member and defining a longitudinal axis and being located within the expandable chamber, the dispersion unit defining chamber therein and an opening at a distalmost end face, the fluid nozzle being located within the chamber of the dispersion unit and the fluid nozzle being oriented at an angle that is tangential to the longitudinal axis and configured to direct the flow of fluid into the dispersion unit in a uniform direction of rotation within the dispersion d to cause the fluid to exit the opening at the distal most end face of the dispersion unit in a predetermined pattern;
- a compression spring located within the expandable chamber distal to the fluid dispersion unit, the compression spring being selectively moveable along the longitudinal axis;
- and
- a deflection member located within the expandable chamber distal to the distalmost end face of the fluid dispersion unit and proximal to the compression spring, the deflection member being coupled to the compression spring such that movement of the compression spring along the longitudinal axis causes the deflection member to modify a direction of flow of the fluid exiting the dispersion unit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.