Claims
- 1. A heat transfer device for low temperature ablation of tissue, comprising:
first and second elongated segments, one of said first or second elongated segments providing a closed end of said heat transfer device; a bellows connecting said first and second elongated segments; and a tubular conduit disposed within and extending substantially through said first and second elongated segments, said conduit having an inner lumen for transporting a working fluid to a distal end of said one of said first or second elongated segments providing a closed end of said heat transfer device.
- 2. The device recited in claim 1, further comprising a smooth outer surface on at least one of said first and second elongated segments.
- 3. The device recited in claim 2, further comprising longitudinal ridges and grooves on said smooth outer surface.
- 4. The device recited in claim 1, further comprising an irregular interior surface within at least one of said first and second elongated segments, said irregular interior surface being adapted to induce mixing within a pressurized said working fluid.
- 5. The device recited in claim 1, further comprising a clot inhibiting outer surface coating on at least one of said first and second elongated segments.
- 6. The device recited in claim 1, wherein said first and second elongated elements are formed from highly conductive material.
- 7. The device recited in claim 1, further comprising:
a coaxial supply catheter having an inner catheter lumen coupled to said inner lumen of said tubular conduit; and a working fluid supply configured to dispense said working fluid and having an output coupled to said inner catheter lumen.
- 8. The device recited in claim 7, wherein said working fluid supply is adapted to dispense a perfluorocarbon working fluid.
- 9. The device recited in claim 7, wherein said working fluid supply is adapted to produce a pressurized said working fluid at a temperature less than about 0 degrees C.
- 10. The device recited in claim 1, further comprising:
at least one additional elongated segment; and at least one additional bellows connecting said at least one additional elongated segment to one of said first and second elongated segments.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This is a continuation patent application of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/161,107, filed on May 30, 2002, and entitled “Selective Organ Cooling Apparatus and Method”; which is a continuation patent application of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/607,799, filed on Jun. 30, 2000, and entitled “Selective Organ Cooling Apparatus and Method”; which is a continuation-in-part patent application of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/570,075, filed on May 12, 2000, and entitled “Selective Organ Cooling Apparatus and Method”; a continuation-in-part patent application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/215,041, filed on Dec. 16, 1998, and entitled “Articulation Device for Selective Organ Cooling Apparatus”, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,254,626; a continuation-in-part patent application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/103,342, filed on Jun. 23, 1998, and entitled “Selective Organ Cooling Catheter and Method of Using the Same”, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,096,068; a continuation-in-part patent application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/052,545, filed on Mar. 31, 1998, and entitled “Circulating Fluid Hypothermia Method and Apparatus”, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,231,595; and a continuation-in-part patent application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/047,012, filed on Mar. 24, 1998, and entitled “Selective Organ Hypothermia Method and Apparatus”, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,957,963; and a continuation-in-part patent application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/012,287, filed on Jan. 23, 1998, and entitled “Selective Organ Hypothermia Method and Apparatus”, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,051,019. The disclosures of these parent applications are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
Continuations (2)
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Continuation in Parts (6)
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09052545 |
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09607799 |
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09047012 |
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09047012 |
Mar 1998 |
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