Claims
- 1. An apparatus for destroying tissue through cryosurgery, said apparatus comprising:
a flexible elongated catheter, said catheter having a flexible tubular catheter body; a flexible tubular working fluid supply conduit within said catheter body, a proximal end of said working fluid supply conduit being connected in fluid flow communication with an outlet of a working fluid source; a working fluid return path within said catheter body, a proximal end of said working fluid return path being connected in fluid flow communication with an inlet of said working fluid source; and a heat transfer element mounted to said distal end of said catheter body, said heat transfer element including a bellows, whereby flexibility is accommodated.
- 2. A heat transfer device for necrosing tissue comprising:
first and second elongated segments; a bellows connecting the first and second elongated segments; and a tubular conduit disposed within the first and second elongated segments, the conduit having an inner lumen for transporting a perfluorocarbon working fluid to a distal end of the elongated segments.
- 3. The device of claim 2, wherein the first and second elongated segments each have an irregular interior surface to induce mixing within a pressurized working fluid.
- 4. The device of claim 2, wherein the first and second elongated segments have a surface coating to inhibit clot formation.
- 5. The device of claim 2, wherein the first and second elongated segments are formed from highly conductive material.
- 6. The device of claim 2 further comprising:
a coaxial supply catheter having an inner catheter lumen coupled to the inner coaxial lumen within the first and second elongated segments; and a working fluid supply configured to dispense a perfluorocarbon working fluid and having an output coupled to the inner catheter lumen.
- 7. The device of claim 6, wherein the working fluid supply is configured to produce the pressurized working fluid at less than about 0° C.
- 8. The device of claim 2, further comprising:
at least one additional elongated segment; and at least one additional bellows connecting the at least one additional elongated segment to one of the first and second elongated segments.
- 9. A method of selectively inducing at least partial cell necrosis in an organ of a patient, comprising:
providing a catheter with a flexible heat transfer element disposed at a distal end thereof, wherein achieving the flexibility is accomplishing by providing the heat transfer element with at least one bellows; inserting the catheter and heat transfer element into the vascular system of a patient to place at least a portion of the heat transfer element adjacent an organ; circulating a working fluid through the catheter and through the heat transfer element to lower the temperature of the heat transfer element; and cooling a portion of the organ adjacent the heat transfer element by contact with the cooled heat transfer element.
- 10. A heat transfer device for cell necrosis during cryosurgery, comprising:
a flexible catheter capable of insertion to the vascular system of a patient; a plurality of heat transfer segments attached to a distal end of said catheter; and a bellows disposed between each of said plurality of heat transfer segments.
- 11. An apparatus for cell necrosis during cryosurgery, said apparatus comprising:
a circulating unit adapted for chilling and circulating a fluid; a flexible elongated catheter; a flexible tubular outer catheter body on said catheter; a flexible fluid supply tube within said outer catheter body, a proximal end of a central lumen of said fluid supply tube being connected in fluid flow communication with an outlet of said circulating unit; a fluid return lumen within said outer catheter body, a proximal end of said fluid return lumen being connected in fluid flow communication with an inlet of said circulating unit; and a flexible heat transfer element mounted to a distal end of said outer catheter body, said heat transfer element having a bellows to increase the flexibility of the heat transfer element.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/566,531, filed May 8, 2000, titled “Method of Making Selective Organ Cooling Catheter”, which is a divisional application of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/103,342, filed Jun. 23, 1998, titled “Selective Organ Cooling Catheter and Method of Using the Same”, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,096,068 and claims priority to co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/785,243, filed Feb. 16, 2001, titled “Circulating Fluid Hypothermia Method and Apparatus”, the entirety of which the disclosure is incorporated herein by reference.
Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09103342 |
Jun 1998 |
US |
Child |
09566531 |
May 2000 |
US |
Continuations (2)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09785243 |
Feb 2001 |
US |
Child |
09834068 |
Apr 2001 |
US |
Parent |
09566531 |
May 2000 |
US |
Child |
09834068 |
Apr 2001 |
US |