Patent ID: 7393350

Claim:
A cryosurgical apparatus, comprising: a cryoprobe having an elongated length, a proximal end, a distal end, an electrically conductive first portion and first and second independently controllable cooling elements; an energy conducting element coupled to the cryoprobe and having an electrically conductive second portion in a region spaced apart from the first portion; and electrical insulation interposed between the first portion and the second portion, wherein the cryosurgical apparatus is configured to be at least partially inserted into tissue and, upon activation, to cool the tissue in a cooling region adjacent to the cryoprobe by selectively controlling the first and second cooling elements and to produce heating of the tissue around the cooling region by controlling the flow of energy through the tissue being heated, wherein the energy is transmitted between the first portion and the energy conducting element, and wherein the cooling region is located substantially between the first portion and the energy conducting element.