US5647868A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Cryosurgical integrated control and monitoring system and method
Assignee: Endocare Inc
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Filing: 1995-04-28
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Granted: 1997-07-15
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Expires: 2015-04-28
Abstract
Abstract The present cryosurgical system and method accurately locates relative to a defined internal area of a living body, an ultrasonic probe and, using stereotactic guide, a series of cooling probes and temperature probes, then presents in the same visual field an integrated ultrasonic display and temperature display to assist the surgeon in accurately sculpting and limiting the field of cooling.
Inventors
- 👤 Douglas Owen Chinn
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 21:14
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B18/00; A61B18/02; A61B90/00; A61B90/10; A61B90/11; A61B17/00; A61B2017/00017; A61B2017/00022; A61B2017/00084; A61B17/00234; A61B2017/00238; A61B2017/00274; A61B2018/00315; A61B2018/00547; A61B90/36; A61B90/37; A61B2090/378
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
146 words
A cryosurgical system for treating a defined internal area of a living body, the system including: means for cryosurgically cooling a defined internal area of a living body; means for measuring a temperature within the defined internal area of a living body as it is cryosurgically cooled by said cooling means, said temperature measuring means being spaced from said means for cryosurgically cooling; means for illuminating the defined internal area of the living body as it is cooled by said means for cryosurgically cooling; means for displaying an image of the living body area illuminated by the illuminating means as the defined internal area is cryosurgically cooled; and means connected to the temperature measuring means for displaying the temperature of the defined internal area of a living body as it is cryosurgically cooled; whereby the defined internal area of a living body may be cryosurgically treated.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
146 words
A cryosurgical system for treating a defined internal area of a living body, the system including: means for cryosurgically cooling a defined internal area of a living body; means for measuring a temperature within the defined internal area of a living body as it is cryosurgically cooled by said cooling means, said temperature measuring means being spaced from said means for cryosurgically cooling; means for illuminating the defined internal area of the living body as it is cooled by said means for cryosurgically cooling; means for displaying an image of the living body area illuminated by the illuminating means as the defined internal area is cryosurgically cooled; and means connected to the temperature measuring means for displaying the temperature of the defined internal area of a living body as it is cryosurgically cooled; whereby the defined internal area of a living body may be cryosurgically treated.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
A cryosurgical system as set forth in claim 1 in which the image display means and the temperature display means present the separately displayed information in the same visual field.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
A cryosurgical system as set forth in claim 1 in which the temperature display means presents the measured temperature at each successive moment over a predetermined time interval including a current interval.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
A cryosurgical system as set forth in claim 3 in which the means for measuring temperature includes a plurality of percutaneous temperature probes.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
A cryosurgical system as set forth in claim 1 in which the means for cooling a defined internal area cryosurgically kills tissue in the defined area.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
43 words
A cryosurgical system as set forth in claim 4 in which the cooling means includes a plurality of percutaneous cooling probes to apply cryosurgical cooling to a non-spherical area defined by a number and placement of the probes in the defined internal area.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
A cryosurgical system as set forth in claim 1 including means to maintain the temperature of at least a portion of the living body within the defined internal area.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
A cryosurgical system as set forth in claim 1 including means to record the displayed image and the displayed temperature.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
40 words
A cryosurgical system as set forth in claim 1 in which said means for illuminating the defined internal area ultrasonically illuminates the defined internal area, and said means for displaying an image of the illuminated area displays an ultrasonic image.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
41 words
A cryosurgical system as set forth in claim 1 in which said means for measuring a temperature measures the temperature within the defined internal area of a living body at a location adjacent to a periphery of the defined internal area.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
52 words
A cryosurgical system as set forth in claim 10 in which said means for measuring a temperature includes a plurality of percutaneous temperature probes, at least some of said probes being placed within the defined internal area of a living body at a location near the periphery of the defined internal area.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
40 words
A cryosurgical system as set forth in claim 11 in which said means for illuminating a defined internal area ultrasonically illuminates the area, and in which the means for displaying an image displays an ultrasonic image of the illuminated area.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
38 words
A cryosurgical system as set forth in claim 12 in which said means for cryosurgically cooling includes a plurality of percutaneous cooling probes, said system further including means to record the displayed ultrasonic image and the displayed temperature.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
64 words
A method for cryosurgically treating a defined internal area of a living body comprising the steps of: cooling a defined internal area of a living body; measuring a temperature within the defined internal area as it is cooled; and ultrasonically illuminating the defined internal area as it is cooled; thereby to monitor and control a degree of cooling applied to the defined internal area.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
64 words
A method for cryosurgically treating a defined internal area of a living body comprising the steps of: cooling a defined internal area of a living body; measuring a temperature within the defined internal area as it is cooled; and ultrasonically illuminating the defined internal area as it is cooled; thereby to monitor and control a degree of cooling applied to the defined internal area.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
44 words
A cryosurgical method as set forth in claim 14 further including the step of displaying in the same visual field both an ultrasonic image of the illuminated area as it is cooled and the temperature of the defined internal area as it is cooled.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
26 words
A cryosurgical method as set forth in claim 15 in which the displayed temperature includes a current temperature in multiple regions within the defined internal area.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
33 words
A cryosurgical method as set forth in claim 15 in which the step of displaying the measured temperature displays the temperature at successive moments over a predetermined time interval including a current interval.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
21 words
A cryosurgical method as set forth in claim 15 including the step of recording the displayed ultrasonic images and displayed temperatures.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
33 words
A cryosurgical method as set forth in claim 14 in which the step of cooling a defined internal area cools at least a portion of the defined internal area to a fatal temperature.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
24 words
A cryosurgical method as set forth in claim 14 in which the cooling step sculpts the cooling area to match the defined internal area.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
31 words
A cryosurgical method as set forth in claim 14 further including the step of maintaining the temperature of at least a portion of the living body within the defined internal area.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2000-07-14 | 2001-01-13 | 2001-07-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2004-07-14 | 2005-01-13 | 2005-07-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2008-07-14 | 2009-01-13 | 2009-07-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |