Patent ID: 8740891

Claim:
A flexible multi-tubular cryoprobe, comprising: a) a housing for receiving an inlet flow of near critical cryogenic fluid from a near critical cryogenic fluid source and for discharging an outlet flow of said near critical cryogenic fluid; b) a plurality of fluid transfer tubes arranged in a circular array and securely attached to said housing, comprising a set of inlet fluid transfer tubes for receiving said inlet flow from said housing; and, a set of outlet fluid transfer tubes for discharging said outlet flow to said housing, each of said plurality of fluid transfer tubes being formed of material that maintains flexibility in a full range of temperatures from −200° C. to ambient temperature, each of said plurality of fluid transfer tubes having an inside diameter in a range of between about 0.10 mm and 1.0 mm; each of said plurality of fluid transfer tubes having a wall thickness in a range of between about 0.01 mm and 0.30 mm; and, c) an end cap positioned at distal ends of said plurality of fluid transfer tubes to provide fluid transfer from said set of inlet fluid transfer tubes to said set of outlet fluid transfer tubes wherein said set of inlet fluid transfer tubes comprises a plurality of inlet fluid transfer tubes located along a circumference of the circular array in order to contact target tissue thereby increasing a heat exchange area between said near critical cryogenic fluid and said target tissue, wherein said set of outlet fluid transfer tubes comprises a plurality of outlet fluid transfer tubes located on an interior of the circular array in order to be shielded from contact with said target tissue by said plurality of inlet fluid transfer tubes, and wherein said circular array of said plurality of fluid transfer tubes is formed within said housing at a distance away from a distal-most end of said housing.