Cauterizing probes for cryosurgery
First Claim
1. A surgical probe comprising a hollow tubular shaft having a metal tube portion forming an outer wall of the probe, said metal tube portion having an end region forming the end of said shaft and defining a cooling section of said probe, channels being provided within the shaft leading to and from said cooling section for circulation of a cooling medium, a tip connected to the extremity of said end region of said metal tube shaft portion and containing a thermal sensor and an electrical heating winding mounted in said cooling section of said shaft for thawing frozen tissues, and connecting means in said shaft associated with said heating winding for its energization by an external source of electricity, said probe having the improvement wherein:
- the probe is provided with a coating (7) at least on the outer surface of said cooling section (4) thereof consisting of elastic synthetic material that is stable up to 200°
C. and has the property of preventing the sticking of flesh to the probe even during cauterization;
material with good heat-conducting properties in contact with and close to the inner surface of said end region of said metal tube portion of said shaft which defines said cooling section (4);
the heating winding (5) is embedded in said heat-conducting material, makes firm contact with said metal tube portion therethrough and is of sufficient rating to be capable of raising said metal tube portion to a temperature of at least 190°
C. at a power of at least 100 watts for not less than a few seconds, so that after a cryosurgical operation, a cauterization of flesh tissues in the region of tissues previously frozen can thereby be carried out, and;
said channels connect with a cooling cavity in said cooling section which is adjacent to said tip.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A heating coil close to the freezing tip of a cryosurgical probe operates through a highly heat conductive portion of the probe wall so as to cauterize previously frozen tissues. The liquid nitrogen supply is continued long enough to cool the cauterizing surface to body temperature after the heating winding is switched off, after which the probe is withdrawn. An insulating spacer member on the end of the tip prevents unintended freezing of the bladder wall when the instrument is used for an operation on the prostate gland. The use of general anesthesis in such an operation is avoided by the use of the new probe. A probe for cauterizing only, for use after freezing by a conventional cryosurgical probe has the same kind of heater, temperature sensor and insulating tip but is equipped for circulating cooling water rather than cryogenic flow in the cooling space.
155 Citations
10 Claims
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1. A surgical probe comprising a hollow tubular shaft having a metal tube portion forming an outer wall of the probe, said metal tube portion having an end region forming the end of said shaft and defining a cooling section of said probe, channels being provided within the shaft leading to and from said cooling section for circulation of a cooling medium, a tip connected to the extremity of said end region of said metal tube shaft portion and containing a thermal sensor and an electrical heating winding mounted in said cooling section of said shaft for thawing frozen tissues, and connecting means in said shaft associated with said heating winding for its energization by an external source of electricity, said probe having the improvement wherein:
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the probe is provided with a coating (7) at least on the outer surface of said cooling section (4) thereof consisting of elastic synthetic material that is stable up to 200°
C. and has the property of preventing the sticking of flesh to the probe even during cauterization;material with good heat-conducting properties in contact with and close to the inner surface of said end region of said metal tube portion of said shaft which defines said cooling section (4); the heating winding (5) is embedded in said heat-conducting material, makes firm contact with said metal tube portion therethrough and is of sufficient rating to be capable of raising said metal tube portion to a temperature of at least 190°
C. at a power of at least 100 watts for not less than a few seconds, so that after a cryosurgical operation, a cauterization of flesh tissues in the region of tissues previously frozen can thereby be carried out, and;said channels connect with a cooling cavity in said cooling section which is adjacent to said tip. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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Specification