Thermoelectrically controlled heat medical catheter

An apparatus for applying highly controlled localized heating to precise joints within a patient to melt or vaporize undesirable organic material comprising:

• a probe tip including a P-doped leg of semiconductor thermoelectric material having first and second end portions and an N-doped leg of semiconductor thermoelectric material having first and second end portions arranged substantially parallel to said P-doped leg and electrically insulated from said P-doped leg along the lengths of said legs, an electrically conductive shoe connected to said first end portions of said legs to form a probe tip junction, said legs being unconnected at their second end portions, a first electrical lead attached to said P-doped leg to form a first reference junction, and a second electrical lead attached to said N-doped leg to form a second reference junction;
• a metal sleeve surrounding said second end portions of said legs;
• a layer of thermally conductive, electrically insulative material separating said thermocouple legs from said metal sleeve;
• means for delivering said probe tip to a selected location within the body of a patient;
• and
• means for passing an electrical current through said electrical leads and said legs to heat said shoe to a selected temperature sufficient to melt or vaporize undesirable organic material at said selected location and for precisely controlling the temperature of said shoe.