Cryoprobe

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11628007-B2
Application number	US-201916569777-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 13, 2019
Priority date	Sep 14, 2018
Publication date	Apr 18, 2023
Grant date	Apr 18, 2023

Abstract

Cryosurgical devices, such as cryosurgical probes (cryoprobes) are disclosed. Some example embodiments may include an elongated shaft at least partially housing or delineating a fluid supply conduit and a fluid exhaust conduit, the elongated shaft including a distal ablation section terminating at a closed distal end, a housing at least partially circumscribing at least a portion of a proximal end of the elongated shaft and receiving or delineating at least a portion of the fluid supply conduit and a portion of the fluid exhaust conduit; and/or a flow restricting element in fluid communication with the fluid exhaust conduit, the flow restricting element regulating the flow of fluid through at least a portion of the fluid exhaust conduit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cryogenic probe comprising:
an elongated shaft at least partially housing or delineating a fluid supply conduit and a fluid exhaust conduit, the elongated shaft including a distal ablation section terminating at a closed distal end;
a housing at least partially circumscribing at least a portion of a proximal end of the elongated shaft and receiving or delineating at least a portion of the fluid supply conduit and a portion of the fluid exhaust conduit;
a boiler comprising one or more channels providing fluid communication between the fluid supply conduit and an interior of the distal ablation section, the boiler comprising a central bore creating a fluid seal with an interior of the fluid exhaust conduit; and
a valve extending into the boiler and in fluid communication with the fluid exhaust conduit and downstream from the distal ablation section, the valve configured to vary the flow of fluid through at least a portion of the fluid exhaust conduit;
wherein the valve comprises a valve plug configured to engage a valve seat and form a seal therebetween; and
wherein the valve plug is spring-biased to engage the valve seat.

2. The cryogenic probe of claim 1 , wherein the valve includes a variable constriction.

3. The cryogenic probe of claim 2 , wherein a cross-sectional area for fluid flow of the variable constriction is operative to be less than about 70% of a cross-sectional area for fluid flow of the exhaust line.

4. The cryogenic probe of claim 2 , wherein a cross-sectional area for fluid flow of the variable constriction is operative to be less than about 50% of a cross-sectional area for fluid flow of the exhaust line.

5. The cryogenic probe of claim 2 , wherein a cross-sectional area for fluid flow of the variable constriction is operative to be less than about 30% of a cross-sectional area for fluid flow of the exhaust line.

6. The cryogenic probe of claim 2 , wherein a cross-sectional area for fluid flow of the variable constriction is operative to be less than about 15% of a cross-sectional area for fluid flow of the exhaust line.

7. The cryogenic probe of claim 2 , wherein a cross-sectional area for fluid flow of the variable constriction is operative to be about 10% of a cross-sectional area for fluid flow of the exhaust line.

8. The cryogenic probe of claim 1 , wherein the distal ablation section includes a bulbous exterior surface having a radial diameter maximum interposing lesser radial diameters.

9. The cryogenic probe of claim 1 , wherein the distal ablation section includes a necked down section to vary a cross-section of the distal ablation section.

10. The cryogenic probe of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the fluid supply conduit extends into the distal ablation section.

11. The cryogenic probe of claim 10 , wherein at least the portion of the fluid supply conduit extending into the distal ablation section includes a fluid flow constriction prior to reaching a nozzle within the distal ablation section.

12. The cryogenic probe of claim 1 , wherein a proximal aspect of the distal ablation section is fluidically sealed to a distal aspect of the elongated shaft using at least one of an adhesive bond and a weld.

13. The cryogenic probe of claim 1 , further comprising a flexible insulated conduit circumscribing the elongated shaft along at least a portion of its longitudinal length.

14. The cryogenic probe of claim 13 , wherein the flexible insulated conduit circumscribes the elongated shaft along a majority of its longitudinal length.

15. The cryogenic probe of claim 13 , wherein the flexible insulated conduit includes a spacer interposing an outer cover of the flexible insulated conduit and an exterior of the elongated shaft.

16. The cryogenic probe of claim 15 , wherein the spacer comprises a foam.

17. The cryogenic probe of claim 15 , wherein the spacer comprises a helix.

18. The cryogenic probe of claim 15 , wherein the spacer comprises a plurality of polymer helices.

19. The cryogenic probe of claim 18 , wherein:
the polymer helices are longitudinally offset from one another along the flexible insulated conduit; and,
each of the polymer helices has a common axial dimension.

20. The cryogenic probe of claim 15 , wherein the spacer terminates before reaching at least one of a proximal end and a distal end of the flexible insulated conduit.

21. The cryogenic probe of claim 17 , wherein the flexible insulated conduit is necked down to have an outside dominant dimension less than an outer diameter of the helix at at least one of a proximal end and a distal end of the flexible insulated conduit.

22. The cryogenic probe of claim 1 , wherein the elongated shaft provides greater than 180 degrees of bending without fracturing.

23. The cryogenic probe of claim 1 , wherein an interior of the elongated shaft and an exterior of the fluid supply line delineate the fluid exhaust conduit.

24. The cryogenic probe of claim 1 , wherein an interior of the elongated shaft and an exterior of the fluid exhaust line delineate the fluid supply conduit.

25. The cryogenic probe of claim 8 , wherein the bulbous exterior surface extends longitudinally more than half of a longitudinal length of an exposed exterior surface of the distal ablation section.

26. The cryogenic probe of claim 8 , wherein the bulbous exterior surface extends longitudinally less than half of a longitudinal length of an exposed exterior surface of the distal ablation section.

27. The cryogenic probe of claim 8 , wherein the distal ablation section is configured to withstand a pressure during a warming operation which includes blocking the flow of the fluid through the fluid exhaust conduit.

28. The cryogenic probe of claim 1 , wherein the housing includes an interior cavity housing an adapter operative to change coaxial orientation of the fluid supply conduit and the fluid exhaust conduit to parallel orientation.

29. A cryogenic probe comprising:
a malleable elongated shaft at least partially housing or delineating a fluid supply conduit and a fluid exhaust conduit;
a flexible insulated conduit circumscribing the malleable elongated shaft along a majority of its longitudinal length and extending distally beyond the malleable elongated shaft;
a housing at least partially circumscribing at least a portion of a proximal end of the elongated shaft and receiving or delineating at least a portion of the fluid supply conduit and a portion of the fluid exhaust conduit;
a flow restricting element in fluid communication with the fluid exhaust conduit, the flow restricting element regulating the flow of fluid through at least a portion of the fluid exhaust conduit;
a distal ablation section including a closed distal end in fluid communication with the fluid supply conduit and the flow restricting element, and in selective fluid communication with the fluid exhaust conduit, the distal ablation section extending distally beyond the flexible insulted conduit; and
a boiler comprising one or more channels providing fluid communication between the fluid supply conduit and an interior of the distal ablation section, the boiler comprising a central bore creating a fluid seal with an interior of the fluid exhaust conduit;
wherein the flow restricting element comprises a valve extending into the boiler downstream from the distal ablation section, the val

Assignees

• Atricure Inc

Inventors

• Skorich Stefan
• Wilson David
• Frangolis Todd
• Widenhouse Christopher
• Fago Frank

Classifications

• A61B2018/00434

  Neural system · CPC title

• A61B2018/00577

  Ablation · CPC title

• A61B2018/00041

  Heating, e.g. defrosting · CPC title

• A61B2018/00351

  Heart · CPC title

• A61B2018/00744

  Fluid flow · CPC title