Patent ID: 6905494

Claim:
A device to treat tissue while preventing tissue damage to adjacent tissue, comprising: an ablation catheter, wherein the catheter includes: a guidewire lumen; a supply lumen; and a return lumen; a tubular introducer sheath for the ablation catheter, wherein said ablation catheter is insert through and extends past a distal end of the introducer sheath, and further wherein, in use, the device is adapted to be positioned such that the ablation catheter contacts tissue to be treated and the introducer sheath contacts tissue to be protected; a heater disposed adjacent or within the introducer sheath, the heater thermally coupled to the tissue; a source of cryofluid having a supply tube and a return tube, the supply tube coupled in fluid communication to the supply lumen and the return tube coupled in fluid communication to the return lumen; and a control unit for the heater.