Cryoprobe with stiffening element

A cryosurgical system comprising a cryoprobe and a source of cryofluid and a control configured to control a delivery of cryofluid to the cryoprobe;

• the cryoprobe comprising:
• an elongate shaft having a distal end and a proximate end;
• an operating head at the distal end of the elongate shaft, wherein the operating head comprises an expansion chamber;
• the elongate shaft comprising:
• a first passageway configured to provide high pressure gas to the expansion chamber and wherein the first passageway terminates in a Joule-Thomson orifice at its distal end;
• a second passageway for evacuating gas from the expansion chamber, wherein the second passageway is coaxially arranged around the first passageway;
• and
• a vacuum chamber coaxially arranged around the first passageway and the second passageway;
• the cryoprobe additionally comprising an elongate stiffening element located towards the distal end of the elongate shaft configured to reduce flexing of the elongate shaft.

A method of ablating a patient tissue, the method comprising:

• placing a tip of a cryoprobe within or adjacent to tissue to be ablated, the cryoprobe comprising:
• an elongate shaft having a distal end and a proximate end;
• an operating head at the distal end of the elongate shaft, wherein the operating head comprises an expansion chamber;
• the elongate shaft comprising;
• a first passageway configured to provide high pressure gas to the expansion chamber and wherein the first passageway terminates in a Joule-Thomson orifice at its distal end;
• a second passageway for evacuating gas from the expansion chamber, wherein the second passageway is coaxially arranged around the first passageway;
• and
• a vacuum chamber coaxially arranged around the first passageway and the second passageway;
• the cryoprobe additionally comprising an elongate stiffening element located towards the distal end of the elongate shaft configured to reduce flexing of the elongate shaft;
• delivering a cryogas to the Joule-Thomson orifice, via the first passageway, at a pressure sufficient to cause cooling of the tip of the probe to a cryogenic temperature to freeze patient tissue in contact with the probe tip;
• and
• subsequently thawing the tissue.