Cryosurgical instrument
AssigneeSpembly Medical Limited
InventorsRobert William Goddard, Leslie John Penny
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cryosurgical instrument comprises a cooling tip operable to be cooled by a flow of a cryogenic fluid within the tip; and a fluid transfer chamber having a fluid inlet for receiving cryogenic fluid, a first fluid outlet communicating with the cooling tip for supplying cryogenic fluid to the cooling tip, and a second fluid outlet communicating with an atmospheric air vent.
Claims43
A liquid cryogen operated cryosurgical probe comprising:
- a cooling tip having an expansion region in which liquid cryogen vaporizes to cool the tip;
- a cryogen inlet;
- a first cryogen outlet;
- a second cryogen outlet;
- a first fluid flow path in the probe from the inlet through the expansion region in the tip to the first cryogen outlet;
- and
- a second bypass flow path in the probe from the inlet and by-passing the cooling tip, the second flow path leading to the second cryogen outlet.
A liquid cryogen operated cryosurgical apparatus, comprising:
- (a) a probe comprising:
- a cooling tip with an expansion region in which liquid cryogen vaporizes to cool the tip;
- a cryogen intlet;
- a first cryogen outlet;
- a second cryogen outlet;
- a first fluid flow path in the probe from the inlet through the expansion region in the tip to the first cryogen outlet;
- and
- a second bypass flow path in the probe from the inlet and by-passing the cooling tip, the second flow path leading to the second cryogen outlet;
- (b) a supply of liquid cryogen;
- (c) a first conduit coupled between the supply of liquid cryogen and the inlet of the probe;
- (d) a second conduit coupled to the first outlet of the probe for exhausting vaporized cryogen;
- and
- (e) a third conduit coupled to the second outlet of the probe for exhausting cryogen flowing in the bypass path.
A liquid cryogen operated cryosurgical apparatus comprising:
- a probe having a cooling tip which is cooled by vaporization of liquid cryogen flowing within the tip,
- a first flow path for cryogen fluid, the first flow path extending in the probe through the tip;
- a second return flow path for cryogen fluid, the second flow path extending in the probe and bypassing the tip;
- and
- a valve for controlling the flow of cryogenic fluid in the second flow path;
- wherein when the valve is in a first state, cryogen fluid is permitted to flow in the second flow path thereby to increase the rate of cryogen flow into the probe, and when the valve is in a second state, the flow of cryogen fluid in the second path is blocked.
A liquid cryogen operated cryosurgical instrument, comprising:
- a cooling tip which is cooled by vaporization of liquid cryogen within the tip;
- a cryogen fluid inlet conduit;
- and
- a fluid transfer chamber into which the inlet conduit opens at a fluid inlet, the transfer chamber defining a region wider than the inlet conduit, and having a first outlet communicating with a first flow path through the cooling tip for liquid cryogen, and a second outlet communicating with a second flow path without passing into the cooling tip.
A cryosurgical instrument comprising:
- a probe having a cooling tip operable to be cooled by a flow of a cryogenic fluid within the tip;
- means for providing a return path for cryogenic fluid from the probe without the fluid passing into the cooling tip;
- and
- means for preventing fluid flow via the return path after a predetermined period of operation of the instrument.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.