Patent ID: 7871405

Claim:
A method for placing prostatic cryoablation probes into a patient, the method comprising the steps of: (a) providing a cryoablation grid comprising: (1) a base plate having a periphery defining (i) a central aperture characterized at least in part by a longitudinal axis, (ii) a first insertion aperture, and (iii) a second insertion aperture, the first insertion aperture located on a first edge of the periphery and the second insertion aperture located on a second edge of the periphery; (2) a first guide adapted to be removably insertable into the first insertion aperture, the first guide including a plurality of spaced prongs oriented in a single direction; (3) a second guide adapted to be removably insertable into the second insertion aperture, the second guide including a plurality of spaced prongs oriented in a single direction, the prongs of the first guide when inserted into the first insertion aperture, the prongs of the second guide when inserted into the second insertion aperture, and the longitudinal axis being orthogonal to each other and the inserted prongs of the first and second guides intersecting to form a plurality of passages within at least a portion of the central aperture, each of the plurality of passages having a longitudinal axis, and each of the plurality of passages for receiving one of the one or more devices; (4) a third guide adapted to be removably insertable into the third insertion aperture, the third guide including a plurality of spaced prongs oriented in a single direction; and (5) a fourth guide adapted to be removably insertable into the fourth insertion aperture, the fourth guide including a plurality of spaced prongs oriented in a single direction, the prongs of the third guide when inserted into the third insertion aperture, the prongs of the fourth guide when inserted into the fourth insertion aperture, and the longitudinal axis being orthogonal to each other and the inserted prongs of the third and fourth guides intersecting to form a plurality of passages within at least a portion of the central aperture, each of the plurality of passages having a longitudinal axis, wherein the longitudinal axes of the passages formed by the third and fourth intersecting guides and the longitudinal axes of the passages formed by the first and second intersecting guides are coaxial; (b) inserting at least one of the first guide, second guide, third guide, or fourth guide into at least one of the first insertion aperture, second insertion aperture, third insertion aperture, or fourth insertion aperture, respectively; (c) placing the base plate in a first position proximate the perineum of the patient; (d) inserting at least one cryoablation probe in the space between the prongs of at least one of the first guide, second guide, third guide, or fourth guide and into the patient's prostate; and (e) removing at least one of the first guide, second guide, third guide, or fourth guide while leaving the at least one cryoablation probe in place.