Cryosurgical probe with pre-cooling feature
AssigneeSpembly Medical Limited
InventorsKelvin John Varney, Simon Richard Reeves
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A cryosurgical probe comprises a probe head operable to be cooled by the expansion of a refrigerant gas within the probe head; a probe handle having means for precooling the refrigerant gas; and a flexible catheter linking the probe handle and the probe head, the catheter defining a channel for carrying precooled refrigerant gas from the probe handle to the probe head.
Claims25
A cryosurgical catheter probe comprising:
- a probe head operable to be cooled by the expansion of a refrigerant gas within the probe head;
- a probe handle;
- and
- a flexible catheter linking the probe handle and the probe head, the catheter defining a channel for carrying refrigerant gas from the probe handle to the probe head;
- characterized in that the probe handle comprises a precooling device for precooling the refrigerant gas to be supplied via the catheter to the probe head.
A cryosurgical catheter probe system comprising:
- a probe handle:
- a probe head operable to be cooled by the expansion of a refrigerant fluid within the probe head;
- a flexible catheter linking the probe handle and the probe head, the catheter defining a channel for carrying the refrigerant fluid from the probe handle to the probe head;
- means for sensing the temperature of the probe head. and for providing an electrical signal indicative of the sensed temperature:
- valve means operable by an electric control signal to prevent and vent the flow of refrigerant fluid to the probe head:
- an electronic circuit coupled to the temperature sensor and to the valve means. for detecting a sudden increase in probe head temperature. and. in response thereto. controlling the valve means to prevent and vent the flow of refrigerant fluid to the probe head.
A cryosurgical probe control unit for controlling a cryosurgical probe having a probe head operable to be cooled by the expansion of a refrigerant fluid within the probe head, the unit comprising:
- means for supplying a refrigerant fluid to the probe head;
- means for sensing the temperature of the probe head. and for providing an electrical signal indicative of the sensed temperature:
- valve means operable by an electric control signal to prevent and vent the flow of refrigerant fluid to the probe head:
- an electronic circuit coupled to the temperature sensor and to the valve means, for detecting a sudden increase in probe head temperature. and. in response thereto. controlling the valve means to prevent and vent the flow of refrigerant fluid to the probe head.
A catheter probe system comprising:
- a probe head operable to be cooled by the expansion of a refrigerant gas within the probe head;
- a probe handle;
- and
- a flexible catheter linking the probe handle and the probe head, the catheter defining a channel for carrying refrigerant gas from the probe handle to the probe head;
- a precooling device in the probe handle for pre-cooling the refrigerant gas to be3 supplied via the catheter tot he probe head;
- a temperature sensor in the probe head for detecting the probe head temperature;
- and
- control means for controlling the flow of refrigerant gas to the probe head in response to the probe head temperature.
A cryosurgical catheter probe handle comprising:
- an inlet for receiving refrigerant gas;
- a catheter connection region connectable to a flexible catheter to supply the refrigerant gas via the flexible catheter to a probe head operable to be cooled by the expansion of the refrigerant gas within the probe head;
- a precooling device for pre-cooling the refrigerant gas within the probe handle to be supplied to the flexible catheter.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.