Patent ID: 7311672

Claim:
A system for securing a mass within the breast of a human patient, said system comprising: a rigid tube adapted for insertion into the body of the patient, said rigid tube having a proximal end, a distal end, a proximal segment, and a distal segment, said proximal segment having a larger outer diameter than the distal segment; said distal segment having a penetrating element adapted for piercing the mass; a gas supply tube for delivering a coolant to the distal end of the rigid tube, said gas supply tube being disposed within the rigid tube, extending to the distal end of the rigid tube and terminating in an orifice at the distal end of the rigid tube, thereby forming an annular lumen between the inner surface of the rigid tube and the outer surface of the gas supply tube, whereby the coolant gas may flow from the gas supply tube, through the annular lumen, and then be exhausted outside the body of the patient; said gas supply tube being sized relative to the rigid tube such that, when coolant is supplied to the rigid tube at a pressure within a predetermined pressure range, cooling of the distal end of the rigid tube is limited to the range of 0° C. to −60° C., whereby cells in the mass are adhered to the rigid tube without ablating the cells; a housing encasing the proximal end of the rigid tube and the gas supply tube, wherein the distal segment of the rigid tube is capable of extending into the body of the patient; and a canister of coolant gas operably attached to the gas supply tube, said canister also disposed within the housing.