Patent ID: 8038668

Claim:
A cryosurgery device for dispensing a liquid refrigerant from a container having a valve stem extending outwardly therefrom, the device comprising: an actuator adapted to seat on the valve stem of the container in order to depress the valve stem to release the liquid refrigerant from the container, said actuator including an inner passageway having opposed ends disposed therein, one of the ends of the passageway being in fluid communication with the valve stem; an applicator having first and second opposed ends, the first end being mounted to said actuator at the other end of the inner passageway and the second end of the applicator having a tip for receiving liquid refrigerant; shield means in communication with said actuator for removably receiving said actuator and for completely and removably receiving the applicator, the shield means being adapted to contain all dispensed liquid refrigerant that is not held within the applicator during dispensing; and means for interlocking said actuator and said shield means so that the liquid refrigerant can only be dispensed into the applicator when said actuator engages said shield means.