Patent ID: 7998066

Claim:
In combination with an endoscope ( 20 ) and a cryoprobe instrument, extending within a tube ( 21 ) of the endoscope ( 20 ), that (a) conducts a cryogenic refrigerant to a cold treatment site ( 26 ) within the patient, and (b) sprays the cryogenic liquid through a spray nozzle at the cold treatment site ( 26 ) to create a cold atmosphere, wherein the cryogenic liquid exiting through the spray nozzle changes from a liquid to a gas, the improvement comprising a gas evacuation device ( 40 ) having: a. a vacuum source ( 60 ) outside the patient; b. an evacuation tube ( 42 ) that is connected to the vacuum source ( 60 ) and that extends into the patient along the endoscope tube ( 21 ) to the cold treatment site ( 26 ) where the cryogenic refrigerant exits from the spray nozzle and changes from a liquid into a gas; and c. an evacuation chamber ( 41 ) elastically secured circumferentially to the endoscope tube ( 21 ) near its distal end ( 22 ), adjacent the spray nozzle, that has radially extending intake ports ( 47 ) in the evacuation chamber ( 40 ) adapted to vacuum the gases created at the cold treatment site ( 26 ) into a cylindrical space ( 50 ) within the evacuation chamber ( 41 ) for evacuation through the evacuation tube ( 42 ) to outside the patient.