Apparatus and method for protecting tissues during cryoablation

• US 7,479,139 B2
• Filed: 04/14/2003
• Issued: 01/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Galil Medical Ltd. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Galil Medical Ltd. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Zvuloni, Roni, Amir, Uri, Cytron, Samuel, Schechter, Doris, Sofer, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, III; Henry M
• Application Number:
  US10/412,330
• Publication Number:
  US 20040024391A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,108 Days
• Field of Search: 606 20- 27, 606/41, 128/898
• US Class Current: 606/21
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/02 by cooling, e.g. cryogenic techniques devices for cooling specific reflex points of the body within cell-life limits A61H39/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00084 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00041 Heating, e.g. defrosting
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0262 using a circulating cryogenic fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0293 using an instrument interstitially inserted into the body, e.g. needle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/11 with guides for needles or instruments, e.g. arcuate slides or ball joints

Abstract

An apparatus and method for protecting the neurovascular bundle during cryoablation of tissues of the prostate by heating the vicinity of the neurovascular bundle while cooling pathological tissues of a prostate to cryoablation temperatures, thereby cryoablating pathological tissues while protecting the neurovascular bundle from damage. A cryoprobe operable to cool a distal operating tip while heating a proximal shaft is presented.

Claims

1. A cryoprobe having a proximal shaft and a distal operating tip, said distal operating tip comprises a cryocooler operable to cool to cryoablation temperatures tissues surrounding said distal operating tip, thereby cryoablating said tissues, said proximal shaft comprises

(a) a cryogen exhaust lumen for exhausting cold cryogen from said cryocooler;

(b) a heating element operable to heat at least a portion of an external wall of said proximal shaft during operation of said cryocooler, wherein said heating element is a fluid heating module, said heating module comprises a first passage for delivery of a fluid to a volume within said proximal shaft, and further comprises a second passage for exhausting said fluid from said volume of said proximal shaft; and

(c) a separator which prevents gas transiting said exhaust lumen from directly contacting said heated portion of said external wall, thereby enabling to simultaneously both actively cool said distal operating tip and actively heat said external shaft wall portion without, during said simultaneous cooling and heating, exposing said heated shaft wall portion to contact with cold cryogen exhausting from said cryocooler.

2. The cryoprobe of claim 1, wherein said first passage is operable to deliver a pre-heated fluid to a portion of said proximal shaft.

3. The cryoprobe of claim 1, wherein said proximal shaft comprises a first Joule-Thomson orifice.

4. The cryoprobe of claim 3, wherein said first fluid input passage is operable to deliver a compressed heating gas to said first Joule-Thomson orifice.

5. The cryoprobe of claim 4, wherein said shaft comprises a first Joule-Thomson orifice and said operating tip comprises a second Joule-Thomson orifice.

6. The cryoprobe of claim 5, wherein said cryoprobe comprises a first gas input passage and a second gas input passage, said first gas input passage being operable to deliver compressed heating gas to said first Joule-Thomson orifice while said second gas input passage delivers compressed cooling gas to said second Joule-Thomson orifice.

7. The cryoprobe of claim 1, wherein said first passage is operable to deliver a compressed heating gas to said proximal shaft.

8. The cryoprobe of claim 1, wherein said proximal shaft comprises an insertable portion, which insertable portion is operable to be inserted into a body of a patient during cryoablation of tissues within said body of said patient, and wherein said heater is operable to heat all of said external wall of said insertable portion of said shaft during cooling operation of said cryocooler in said operating tip.

9. The cryoprobe of claim 1, operable to cool said distal operating tip to cryoablation temperatures and to heat said portion of said external wall of said proximal shaft at the same time.