Claims
- 1. A cryosurgical apparatus useful for cryogenic spray ablation comprising in combination an endoscope, a catheter and a source of liquified gas attached to said catheter such that the endoscope aids in placing a cryogenic gas to be sprayed in proximity to the area to be cryogenically ablated and with the catheter being able to produce low pressure delivery of cryogen without perforating the esophagus.
- 2. The cryosurgical apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a fiber optic means for viewing he area to be ablated.
- 3. The cryosurgical apparatus of claim 2 wherein the fiber optic means is disposed together with illuminating light and imaging camera.
- 4. The cryosurgical apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an inflatable means capable of inflating and thereby localizing a cryogenic gas in the area to be ablated.
- 5. The cryosurgical apparatus of claim 1 wherein the catheter has a distal end and a proximal end with the distal end being provided with means to spray the cryogenic gas in a radial direction relative to the axis of the catheter.
- 6. The cryosurgical apparatus of claim 1 provided with means for controlling the supply of liquified gas.
- 7. The cryosurgical apparatus of claim 1 wherein a heating device is attached to said source of liquified gas to aid in the efficient delivery of said gas for ablation.
- 8. A method for treating Barrett's esophagus comprising applying a cryogenic gas to the affected area of the esophagus employing the cryosurgical instrument of claim 1 and thereby ablating the diseased tissue of Barrett's esophagus.
- 9. A kit containing paraphernalia for use in cryogenic spray ablation of intralumenal mucosa, comprising:
a container having packaged therein:
1) a catheter having at one end means for causing any fluid flowing therethrough to be sprayed in a radial direction substantially perpendicular to the axis of said catheter; 2) means for connecting said catheter to a source of liquid gas; and 3) bleeder vent means for controlling the pressure of the flow of liquified gas to the tip of said catheter.
- 10. A kit in accordance with claim 9, wherein said container further contains:
a tube and means connectable to said tube for withdrawing gas from said tube.
- 11. A kit in accordance with claim 9, wherein said container further contains:
means for blocking the lumen containing the mucosa to be sprayed when the paraphernalia is in use.
- 12. An apparatus for the cryogen ablation of precancerous lesions within a Barrett's esophagus of a patient, comprising an endoscope having a distal end provided with a lens, such that the endoscope may be used to locate the precancerous lesions, a catheter connected to the endoscope and carried thereby, and a source of a cryogen connected to the catheter and disposed externally of the patient, such that the flow of the cryogen may be controlled for the selective ablation of the precancerous lesions located via the lens on the endoscope, and such that the moist air normally found within the esophagus may be purged, thereby substantially reducing condensation on the lens of the endoscope, thereby substantially eliminating any haze on the lens, and thereby obtaining clear views of the tissues of the esophagus.
- 13. A method for the cryogen ablation of precancerous lesions within a Barrett's esophagus of a patient, comprising the steps of applying liquid nitrogen or nitrogen gas to the precancerous lesions for a min. to max. p.s.i. of approximately 3-45 p.s.i.
- 14. A method for treating an internal lesion of the intestinal tract comprising applying a cryogenic gas to said lesion with the cryosurgical apparatus of claim 1 and thereby ablating said lesion.
- 15. A catheter device for use in cryogenic surgery comprising a connector and a gas bleeding vent with said gas bleeding vent being positioned between the connector and the proximal end of the catheter and, when the connector is attached to a cryogenic gas supply, the distal end of the catheter is able to supply low pressure cryogen.
- 16. The device of claim 15 packaged in a kit.
- 17. The device of claim 15 packaged in a kit, with said kit further containing a nasogastric tube.
- 18. In an apparatus for the treatment of Barrett's disease in the esophagus of a patient, wherein a cryogenic spray is applied to pre-cancerous lesions within the patient's esophagus, an insulated catheter connected to a cryogenic source externally of the patient and carried by an endoscope inserted into the patient's esophagus, such that the catheter may withstand extremely cold temperatures without becoming stiff and without affecting the inherent flexibility and maneuverability of the endoscope.
- 19. The insulated catheter of claim 18, wherein the insulated catheter is capable of withstanding temperatures down to −100° C.
- 20. The insulated catheter of claim 19, wherein the insulated catheter has a tip through which the cryogenic spray is discharged, the temperature at the tip of the insulated catheter being approximately −20° C.
- 21. An insulated catheter intended to be connected to a cryogenic source and carried by an endoscope inserted within a patient's esophagus for selectively delivering a low pressure cryogenic spray for the treatment of Barrett's disease.
- 22. The insulated catheter of claim 21, wherein the insulated catheter is capable of withstanding temperatures down to −100° C., such that the catheter will not become stiff, thereby assuring that there will be no substantial effect on the flexibility and maneuverability of the endoscope.
- 23. A cryogenic apparatus for the treatment of Barrett's disease within the esophagus of a patient, comprising a cryogenic source, an endoscope intended to be inserted within the patient's esophagus, a catheter carried by the endoscope and connected to the cryogenic source, and a foot-pedal controlled solenoid-actuated valve between the catheter and the cryogenic source.
- 24. A cryogenic apparatus for the treatment of Barrett's disease within the esophagus of a patient, comprising a cryogenic source, an endoscope intended to be inserted within the patient's esophagus, a catheter carried by the endoscope and connected to the cryogenic source, the catheter having a tip through which a cryogenic spray is applied to pre-cancerous lesions within the patient's esophagus, and an electronically-controlled timer provided with a display indicating the time interval that the cryogenic spray has been discharged from the tip of the catheter.
- 25. The cryogenic apparatus of claim 24, wherein the electronically-controlled timer includes a print-out of the time interval.
- 26. The cryogenic apparatus of claim 25, wherein the print-out is patient specific.
- 27. A pressurized tank containing liquid nitrogen wherein the pressurized tank is intended to be connected to a catheter carried by an endoscope and inserted within a patient's esophagus for the treatment of Barrett's disease, wherein a cryogenic spray is discharged from the tip of the catheter and applied to pre-cancerous lesions within the patient's esophagus, and wherein the pressurized tank is provided with a bleed-off to assure that the pressure of the cryogenic spray being discharged from the tip of the catheter does not inadvertently injure the patient.
- 28. The pressurized tank of claim 27, wherein the pressure of the cryogenic spray at the tip of the catheter is less than 3 atmospheres.
- 29. A method of treating internal lesions of the intestinal tract comprising applying to such lesions a low pressure cryogenic spray to ablate said lesions.
- 30. As assembly for use in cryosurgery comprising an endoscope with one of the lumens thereof supplied with a catheter which is equipped on its outer surface with a heating means, said catheter being able to supply at low pressure a cryogenic gas during cryosurgery.
- 31. The assembly of claim 30 wherein the pressure of the cryogenic gas is maintained by the inner diameter of the catheter.
- 32. The method of claim 29 wherein the low pressure is defined as being I the range of 3-45 psi, wherein the cryogenic spray is applied by means of a heated catheter so that non-target areas are not affected by the cold of the catheter.
- 33. The assembly of claim 30 wherein the low pressure is produced by a bleed vent or through increased diameter of the catheter and the heating means is through electrical resistance wires surrounding the catheter.
- 34. The assembly of claim 30 wherein the coupling is insulated and the electric resistance wires are surrounded by heat shrink plastic.
- 35. A cryosurgical apparatus useful for cryogenic spray ablation comprising in combination an endoscope, a catheter and a source of liquified cryogenic gas attached to said catheter such that the endoscope aids in placing the cryogenic gas to be sprayed in proximity to the area to be cryogenically ablated and with the catheter being able to produce low pressure delivery of the cryogenic gas without perforating the esophagus,
further comprising a fiber optic means for viewing the area to be ablated, wherein the fiber optic means is disposed together with an illuminating light source and imaging camera, and wherein the apparatus further including a means for evacuating moist air to prevent fogging of the lens of said imaging camera and wherein the external surface of the catheter is heated so as not to cause freezing of non-target areas.
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is related to Provisional Application Serial No. 60/047,484 filed May 23, 1997 and to application Ser. No. 09/050,150 filed Mar. 30, 1998.
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60047484 |
May 1997 |
US |
Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09477839 |
Jan 2000 |
US |
Child |
10106985 |
Mar 2002 |
US |
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09050150 |
Mar 1998 |
US |
Child |
10106985 |
Mar 2002 |
US |