초록 ▼

A sheath for use on a closed loop Joule-Thomson cryosurgical probe, and the combination of the sheath and the closed loop probe. The sheath is slipped over the probe, thereby separating the probe from the environment. The sheath has a grip which fits over the handle of the cryosurgical probe, and an

A sheath for use on a closed loop Joule-Thomson cryosurgical probe, and the combination of the sheath and the closed loop probe. The sheath is slipped over the probe, thereby separating the probe from the environment. The sheath has a grip which fits over the handle of the cryosurgical probe, and an extendible shroud which can be longitudinally extended to cover tubing and which are attached to the handle. The sheath has a hollow multi-lumen catheter shaped and sized to fit snugly over the cannula of the cryosurgical probe. The catheter is not thermally conductive, preventing transfer of heat from the ambient to the gas mixture, and preventing the freezing of tissues at undesired locations along the catheter. A thermally conductive cap or tip is attached to the distal end of the hollow catheter. The thermally conductive cap or tip is biased against the cold tip on the probe by a biasing element in the sheath assembly, to promote heat transfer.

대표청구항 ▼

[ We claim:] [1.]1. A sheath for use as a removable cover for a cryosurgical probe, said sheath comprising:a hollow grip removably attachable to a cryosurgical probe;a thermally resistive catheter assembly attachable to said hollow grip, said catheter assembly having a tubular passageway for receivi

[ We claim:] [1.]1. A sheath for use as a removable cover for a cryosurgical probe, said sheath comprising:a hollow grip removably attachable to a cryosurgical probe;a thermally resistive catheter assembly attachable to said hollow grip, said catheter assembly having a tubular passageway for receiving a cannula portion of a cryosurgical probe;a thermally conductive segment on said catheter assembly, said conductive segment being in thermal contact with a heat transfer portion of a cryosurgical probe, when said catheter assembly is disposed over a cannula portion of a cryosurgical probe; anda biasing element on said catheter assembly, said biasing element being constructed to longitudinally bias said conductive segment of said catheter assembly against a heat transfer portion of a cryosurgical probe when said hollow grip is attached to a cryosurgical probe.