Patent ID: 6623479
Filing Date: 2003-09-23
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
A cryosurgical instrument comprising a long, resiliently flexible cable terminating at a freezing unit associated with a leading contact tip, said freezing unit incorporating a selectively operable thermoelectric cooling device for normally freezing said leading contact tip, said cooling device having a distal surface acting as said leading contact tip of the freezing unit, and a proximal surface at which the cooling device terminates, the instrument further comprising an inlet tube extending along said resiliently flexible cable and terminating adjacent said proximal surface of the cooling device, for delivering an upstream flow of cooling fluid from an external cooling system to said proximal surface, said inlet tube being provided with at least one cooling unit extending along a portion of the inlet tube's length and spaced from said proxumal surface of the cooling device, for chilling said upstream flow of cooling fluid before it arrives to said proximal surface.