Cryosurgical probe
First Claim
1. A cryosurgical device comprising a probe having a hollow stem, one end of the stem having means adapted to be connected to a source of cooling fluid and to exhaust, the opposite end of the stem being closed and having a thermally conductive tip adapted to be cooled by means of the cooling fluid which in use flows along the stem, whereby human or animal tissue at the tip may be cooled, said tip providing an exposed electrode, a further electrode separate from said probe and adapted to be applied to a part of said human or animal separate from the tissue to be cooled, and means for applying electrical nerve-stimulating voltages between the said electrodes sufficient to cause an observable muscle response in the human or animal.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A cryosurgical probe is adapted for the freezing of a nerve and is fitted with an electrode at its tip for electrical stimulation of the nerve, to enable the surgeon to know when the probe tip has been correctly placed in proximity to a particular nerve which it is desired to freeze.
-
Citations
9 Claims
- 1. A cryosurgical device comprising a probe having a hollow stem, one end of the stem having means adapted to be connected to a source of cooling fluid and to exhaust, the opposite end of the stem being closed and having a thermally conductive tip adapted to be cooled by means of the cooling fluid which in use flows along the stem, whereby human or animal tissue at the tip may be cooled, said tip providing an exposed electrode, a further electrode separate from said probe and adapted to be applied to a part of said human or animal separate from the tissue to be cooled, and means for applying electrical nerve-stimulating voltages between the said electrodes sufficient to cause an observable muscle response in the human or animal.
- 8. A cryosurgical device comprising a probe having a hollow stem, one end of the stem having means adapted to be connected to a source of cooling fluid and to exhaust, the opposite end of the stem being closed and having a thermally conductive tip adapted to be cooled by means of the cooling fluid which in use flows along the stem, whereby human or animal tissue at the tip may be cooled, said tip having a pair of exposed electrodes, and means for applying electrical nerve-stimulating voltages between the said electrodes sufficient to cause an observable muscle response in the human or animal.
Specification