Cryoprobe

Inventors

Skorich, Stefan • Wilson, David • FRANGOLIS, Todd • Widenhouse, Christopher • Fago, Frank

Assignees

Atricure Inc

Abstract

Cryosurgical devices, such as cryosurgical probes (cryoprobes) are disclosed. Some example embodiments may include a cryogenic probe comprising an elongated tube at least partially housing or delineating a fluid supply conduit and a fluid exhaust conduit, the elongated tube including a distal ablation section terminating at a closed distal end, the elongated tube including at least one stagnant fluid pocket interposing an exterior of the conduit and at least one of the fluid supply conduit and the fluid exhaust conduit, and a housing at least partially circumscribing at least a portion of a proximal end of the elongated tube and receiving or delineating at least a portion of the fluid supply conduit and a portion of the fluid exhaust conduit.

Core Innovation

The invention relates to cryogenic cryoprobes that include a flexible elongated tube coupled to a distal ablation section terminating at a closed distal end. The flexible elongated tube at least partially houses or delineates a high pressure fluid supply conduit and a fluid exhaust conduit, and the tube houses a plurality of discrete stagnant fluid pockets at ambient pressure that interpose an exterior of the flexible elongated tube and at least one of the conduits.

A handle housing at least partially circumscribes a proximal portion of the flexible elongated tube and receives or delineates portions of the high pressure fluid supply conduit and the fluid exhaust conduit. The flexible elongated tube interposes the handle housing and the distal ablation section adjacent the distal ablation section.

The cryogenic probe uses an insert to at least partially delineate the plurality of discrete stagnant fluid pockets and to provide passageway structures for at least one of the high pressure fluid supply conduit and the fluid exhaust conduit. In disclosed embodiments, the insert includes a triangular cross-section with separate passageways for the high pressure fluid supply conduit and the fluid exhaust conduit, or a geometric shaped cross-section having four or more sides with separate conduits for the high pressure fluid supply conduit and the fluid exhaust conduit.

An additional architecture is described in which a cryogenic probe includes a flexible elongated tube at least partially housing an insulating insert that includes a plurality of through channels, with at least a first channel configured to convey exhaust fluid and second and third channels configured to convey high pressure supply fluid. The insulating insert includes a plurality of longitudinal ridges contacting an interior of the flexible elongated tube so that the insulating insert and flexible elongated tube cooperatively delineate a plurality of stagnant fluid pockets.

Claims Coverage

The partial content provides three independent claims. Across these claims, the inventive coverage centers on discrete stagnant fluid pockets at ambient pressure between the tube exterior and the supply/exhaust conduits, an insert that delineates the stagnant pockets and defines separate supply and exhaust passageways or conduits with specified cross-sectional geometry, and an insulating insert architecture that uses through channels and longitudinal ridges routed via a handle housing to a distal ablation section.

The independent claims collectively require a cryogenic probe architecture in which a flexible elongated tube with a distal ablation section at a closed distal end houses discrete stagnant fluid pockets at ambient pressure. The claims further require an insert, or an insulating insert having through channels and longitudinal ridges, that delineates the stagnant pockets and provides separate passageways or conduits for high pressure supply fluid and exhaust fluid routed by a handle housing.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications

No documented applications found