Cryoprobe with exhaust heater

1 . A cryoprobe for use in a cryosurgical procedure comprising:

a rigid outer tube;

a coolant inlet tube disposed within the outer tube;

a short rigid penetrating segment extending distally from a distal end of the outer tube;

a handle disposed about a proximal end of the outer tube; and

an exhaust heater disposed within the handle, said exhaust heater placed in thermal communication with exhausting cryogen and adapted to warm exhausting cryogen.

2 . The cryoprobe of claim 1 wherein the exhaust heater comprises a heating chamber placed in fluid communication with the rigid tube and a heating element placed in thermal communication with the heating chamber.

3 . The cryoprobe of claim 2 further comprising a manifold disposed in the handle in fluid communication with the outer tube, said manifold adapted to direct exhaust cryogen to the heating chamber.

4 . The cryoprobe of claim 1 wherein the exhaust heater is adapted to heat the exhaust cryogen to a temperature in the range of about 32° C. to about 110° F.

5 . The cryoprobe of claim 2 wherein the heating element comprises resistance wire.

6 . A system comprising:

a cryogen source;

a cryogen supply line in fluid communication with the cryogen source; and

a cryoprobe in fluid communication with the supply line, said cryoprobe a having a rigid outer tube;

a coolant inlet tube in fluid communication with the cryogen source disposed within the outer tube;

a short rigid penetrating segment extending distally from a distal end of the outer tube;

a handle disposed about a proximal end of the outer tube; and

an exhaust heater disposed within the handle, said exhaust heater placed in thermal communication with exhausting cryogen and adapted to warm exhausting cryogen.

7 . The system of claim 6 wherein the exhaust heater comprises a heating chamber placed in fluid communication with the rigid tube and a heating element placed in thermal communication with the heating chamber.

8 . The system of claim 6 wherein the cryoprobe further comprises a manifold disposed in the handle in fluid communication with the outer tube, said manifold adapted to direct exhaust cryogen to the heating chamber.

9 . The system of claim 1 wherein the exhaust heater is adapted to heat the exhaust cryogen to a temperature in the range of about 32° C. to about 110° F.

10 . The system of claim 7 wherein the heating element comprises resistance wire.

11 . The system of claim 1 wherein the cryogen source comprises a cryogen selected from the group consisting of argon, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, air, freon, nitrous oxide, chlorofluorocarbons and perflourocarbons.

12 . A method of performing a cryosurgical procedure comprising:

providing a cryoprobe having an outer rigid tube, an inlet tube disposed within the outer tube, a handle disposed about a proximal end of the outer tube and an exhaust heater disposed within the handle;

performing a cryosurgical procedure using the cryprobe;

heating exhausting cryogen in the handle with the exhaust heater prior to venting the cryogen to the atmosphere; and

venting the cryogen to the atmosphere through an exhaust port disposed in the handle.

13 . The method of claim 12 wherein the step of heating exhausting cryogen further comprises heating the cryogent to a safe temperature.