Patent ID: 6868290

Claim:
In a thermotherapy catheter comprising an elongated outer tube extending from a proximal location of the catheter to a distal end of the catheter, a device guide tube positioned within the outer tube and separated from the outer tube by an annulus-like chamber and extending from the proximal location to the distal end of the catheter, the device guide tube defining an interior space for accepting a heat generating device and a connected feed cable of, the device guide tube positioning the heat generating device adjacent to the distal end of the catheter with the feed cable extending proximally from the heat generating device through the device guide tube to the proximal location of the catheter, the feed cable separated from the device guide tube by an annulus-like passageway, an opening extending through the device guide tube to create a flow path between the chamber and the passageway at a predetermined location located near a distal end of the feed cable, the opening permitting circulation of a cooling liquid within the chamber from the proximal location of the catheter and through the opening and into the passageway and from the passageway to the proximal location of the catheter, a probe guide tube located within the chamber and extending from the proximal location to an exit position located proximal from the distal end of the catheter at approximately the location of the connection of the heat generating device to the feed cable, the probe guide tube defining an interior space within which to receive an elongated temperature probe which includes a tip end which is movable out of the probe guide tube at the exit position and through the outer tube, the probe guide tube including a distal end portion which angles transversely within the chamber to establish an acute angle relative to the longitudinal extent of the catheter when the tip end of the temperature probe moves out of the catheter at the exit position; and an improvement comprising: a contact member positioned within the chamber at a position distal of the opening and extending between the device guide tube and the outer tube, the contact member further positioned to contact the distal end portion of the probe guide tube at a location adjacent the exit position, the contact of the contact member with the distal end portion of the probe guide tube supports the distal end portion of the probe guide tube to maintain the established acute angle.