A hideaway compartment houses the treatment probe when it's not in use. A disposable sterile control unit that provides a patient-contact interface and contains a heater that allows a physician to warm and disengage the cryoprobe from the frozen tissue. The unit also contains a thermocouple that registers the temperature at the tip and conveys the information to the console display. A console that receives standard electrical power input and houses the compressor system, microprocessor, and user interface. The procedure is typically performed in 15 minutes on an outpatient basis, under either local or general anesthetic.
Patients can leave after a few hours of rest and usually return to normal activities the next day.
First Option uses a mixed refrigerant Joule-Thomson staged system developed by Dobak. The fluid mixture and linear oil-free compressor enabled the working pressure of the device to be reduced and allowed the mixture to circulate, eliminating the need for replenishment. This system enabled designers to create a smaller, more portable, less expensive device. Because the proprietary refrigerants are recyclable, costly gas canister replacements and a refrigerant recovery system are eliminated, says Gene Reu, vice president of engineering for CryoGen. A Collaborative Effort Teamwork was the key to developing First Option.