Patent ID: 7828799

Claim:
A probe arrangement for the electrothermal coagulation of tissue comprising a distal probe tip and a proximal hand portion, comprising at least a first and a second electrode in the region of the distal probe tip, said electrodes being disposed on the exterior of the probe; an inner conductor having a distal end and a proximal end, wherein the inner conductor extends from the distal probe tip to the proximal hand portion and is adapted to electrically contact the first electrode in the distal probe tip; an outer conductor which extends from the distal probe tip to the proximal hand portion and is adapted to electrically contact the second electrode in the distal probe tip; an insulator arranged between the inner and outer conductors and adapted to electrically insulate the inner conductor from the outer conductor; and means for bracing the inner conductor in relation to the outer conductor in such a way that the inner conductor is under tensile stress and the outer conductor is under compression stress, said bracing means including a threaded portion on said inner conductor and a nut engaging said threaded portion and bracing against a portion of said hand portion; characterized in that flexural stiffness of the probe arrangement is provided due to the inner conductor being under tensile stress between the probe tip and the hand portion and further characterized in that the inner conductor has a hollow duct which is adapted to pass cooling or heating fluid from the proximal end to the distal end of the inner conductor, and a through bore which is adapted to allow the heating or cooling fluid supplied through the hollow duct to be discharged from the hollow duct, and provided between the insulator and the outer conductor is an intermediate space which is adapted to pass the cooling or heating fluid of the hollow duct, which is flowing out of the through bore, back to the proximal end.