CARBON DIOXIDE-BASED PERCUTANEOUS CRYOSURGICAL SYSTEM

摘要

An embodiment in accordance with the present invention provides a handheld cryoprobe for use in percutaneous cryotherapy of tumorous masses. It includes a probe attached to a CO2 gas dispensing backend. The probe has specifically optimized parameters designed for use with CO2 gas and is made out of a partially hollowed and threaded aluminum rod providing maximum heat exchange. The system backend regulates flow of compressed CO2 gas while throttling and cooling the gas coolant to the cytotoxically low temperatures necessary for targeted tumor cell death. Additionally, the incoming initial stream of CO2 gas is throttled by the Joule-Thomson nozzle on the backend. The low temperature exhaust gas is then used to pre-cool all subsequent incoming gas, resulting in an even lower temperature at the probe tip, which provides a positive feedback loop, continually decreasing the gas's temperature. The temperature drop is caused by the Joule-Thomson effect.