Cryosurgical catheter
View Patent ↗A cryogenic catheter includes an outer flexible member having at least one cryogenic fluid path through the flexible member. The at least one fluid path is defined by a plurality of flexible members disposed within the outer flexible member.
1. A medical device, comprising:
an elongate member having a longitudinal axis and a thermally-transmissive region having at least one substantially rigid bellows-shaped thermally transmissive element,
wherein the at least one thermally transmissive element defines a sawtooth-shaped cylindrical outer surface axisymmetric about the longitudinal axis, the cylindrical surface defining a cross-section parallel to and coincident with the longitudinal axis, the cross-section having sawtooth edges that are parallel to the longitudinal axis.
2. A medical device, comprising:
an elongate member having a longitudinal axis and a thermally-transmissive region having at least one substantially rigid bellows-shaped thermally transmissive element,
wherein the at least one thermally transmissive element includes a plurality of consecutive annular segments arranged along the longitudinal axis and having outer surfaces with alternating slopes relative to the longitudinal axis.
3. The medical device of claim 2 ,
wherein the outer surfaces of the plurality of consecutive annular segments define a sawtooth-shaped cylindrical surface axisymmetric about the longitudinal axis, the cylindrical surface defining a cross-section parallel to and coincident with the longitudinal axis, the cross-section having sawtooth edges that are parallel to the longitudinal axis.
4. A medical device, comprising:
an elongate member having a longitudinal axis and a thermally-transmissive region having at least one substantially rigid bellows-shaped thermally transmissive element,
wherein the at least one rigid bellows-shaped thermally transmissive element is elastically deformable.
5. The medical device of claim 4 ,
wherein the elongate member defines a longitudinal axis, and the at least one rigid bellows-shaped thermally transmissive element is only substantially elastically deflectable in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.
6. A medical device, comprising:
an elongate member having a longitudinal axis and a thermally-transmissive region having at least one substantially rigid bellows-shaped thermally transmissive element, further comprising:
an outer surface of the elongate member
an outer surface of the at least one rigid bellows-shaped thermally transmissive element which coincides with at least a portion of the outer surface of the elongate member.
7. The medical device of claim 6 ,
wherein the outer surface of the least one rigid bellows-shaped thermally transmissive element is an undulating surface.
8. A medical device, comprising:
an elongate member having a longitudinal axis and a thermally-transmissive region having at least one substantially rigid bellows-shaped thermally transmissive element,
wherein the at least one rigid bellows-shaped thermally transmissive element includes at least two rigid bellows-shaped thermally transmissive elements arranged consecutively along the longitudinal axis.
9. The medical device of claim 8 ,
wherein the at least two bellows-shaped thermally transmissive elements are separated by flexible segments arranged along the longitudinal axis.
10. The medical device of claim 1 ,
wherein the at least one substantially rigid bellows-shaped thermally transmissive element retains enough stiffness to retain a selected shape after bending.
11. A medical device for cooling tissue, comprising:
an elongate member having a distal end portion having a bellows-shaped, thermally-transmissive region,
a fluid path disposed through the elongate member and the distal end portion,
a flow of non-aqueous cryogenic fluid flowing into the distal end portion proximate the thermally-transmissive region.
12. The medical device of claim 10 ,
wherein the tissue is cooled solely by the flow of cryogenic fluid proximate the thermally-transmissive region.
13. A tissue ablation device, comprising
an elongate member having a distal ablation segment having a bellows-shaped, thermally-transmissive region adapted to be disposed proximate the tissue,
a fluid path disposed through the elongate member and the distal ablation segment,
a flow of cryogenic fluid flowing into the distal ablation segment proximate the thermally-transmissive region.
14. The medical device of claim 12 ,
wherein the tissue is ablated solely by the flow of cryogenic fluid proximate the thermally-transmissive region.
15. The medical device of claim 12 ,
wherein the distal ablation segment includes only the bellows-shaped thermally-transmissive region.