Patent ID: 7001378

Claim:
A device to treat tissue while preventing tissue damage to adjacent tissue, comprising: an ablation catheter; wherein the ablation catheter further defines: a guidewire lumen; a supply lumen; and a return lumen, an introducer sheath for the ablation catheter, 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 adapted to be thermally coupled to the tissue; a control unit for the heater; and 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, wherein the cryofluid has been substantially purged of dissolved gases.