Patent ID: 6955673

Claim:
A heat transfer segment for a cryoablation catheter, said heat transfer segment comprising: a non-inflatable tubular member shaped to enclose a volume and having an aperture for receiving a refrigerant therein with at least one portion of said member being made of a composite material having an elongated shape, said remaining portion being made of a polymeric matrix material, wherein said composite material has a first flexular modulus and said polymeric matrix material has a second flexular modulus, said composite material including filler material particles embedded in a polymeric matrix material, with said composite material having a thermal conductivity greater than said polymeric matrix material to transfer heat from tissue to the refrigerant during cryoablation; and a means for controllably bending said member from an extracorporeal location while said member is positioned within a patient's body wherein a difference between the first flexural modulus and the second flexural modulus biases said member to bend in a pre-selected bend plane, to steer said catheter through the body and position the composite material portion adjacent the target tissue.