Patent ID: 8425502

Claim:
A cryosurgical probe operative to cool target nerve tissue to a temperature below about −140° C. to reduce or eliminate nerve tissue by growing an ice ball, the probe comprising: a thermally conductive body having a conductive portion adapted to contact said tissue and form an ice ball thereat by cooling during use; a thermally insulating body adjacent to said conductive portion onto which said ice ball forms during use; a temperature sensor shut-down switch positioned on said thermally insulating body at a predetermined longitudinal position so that when said thermally insulating body is installed on the thermally conductive body, said temperature sensor shut down switch is at a predetermined longitudinal position with respect to the conductive portion of the thermally conductive body; wherein said cooling of said thermally conductive body is shut down when said temperature sensor shut down switch is in contact with said ice ball, wherein said ice ball has a predetermined size determined by said temperature sensor shut-down switch predetermined position.