Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
126 words
A method for cooling tissue adjacent a thermal therapy catheter having a cooling fluid circulation path with an entrance and an exit, the method comprising: pumping a cooling fluid at a first selected flow rate and a first selected temperature through the circulation path of the thermal therapy catheter positioned adjacent the tissue being cooled; sensing a temperature of the fluid after the fluid exits the thermal therapy catheter; sensing a parameter corresponding to flow rate of the fluid after the fluid exits the thermal therapy catheter; pumping a cooling fluid at a second selected flow rate and a second selected temperature through the circulation path of the thermal therapy catheter based upon the sensed temperature and sensed flow rate of the fluid exiting the catheter.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
126 words
A method for cooling tissue adjacent a thermal therapy catheter having a cooling fluid circulation path with an entrance and an exit, the method comprising: pumping a cooling fluid at a first selected flow rate and a first selected temperature through the circulation path of the thermal therapy catheter positioned adjacent the tissue being cooled; sensing a temperature of the fluid after the fluid exits the thermal therapy catheter; sensing a parameter corresponding to flow rate of the fluid after the fluid exits the thermal therapy catheter; pumping a cooling fluid at a second selected flow rate and a second selected temperature through the circulation path of the thermal therapy catheter based upon the sensed temperature and sensed flow rate of the fluid exiting the catheter.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
73 words
The method of claim 1 including: recirculating the cooling fluid exiting the catheter from the exit into the entrance and through the circulation path of the catheter; modifying the temperature of the fluid between the exit and the entrance based upon the sensed temperature of the fluid exiting the catheter; and modifying the pumping rate between the exit and the entrance based upon the sensed flow rate of the fluid exiting the catheter.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 2 wherein modifying the temperature of the fluid includes: circulating the fluid through a thermally conductive reservoir positioned adjacent a temperature controlled cooling surface having a temperature based upon the sensed temperature of the fluid exiting the catheter.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 2 wherein modifying the pumping rate includes: circulating the fluid through a compressible conduit; and peristaltically compressing the compressible conduit at a rate based on the sensed flow rate of the fluid exiting the catheter.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the step of sensing a temperature of the fluid includes: circulating the fluid adjacent a radiation emitter positioned adjacent an infrared radiation sensor.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the step of sensing a parameter corresponding to the flow rate includes: circulating the fluid adjacent a flexible diaphragm positioned adjacent a pressure sensor.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
145 words
A method for cooling tissue adjacent a thermal therapy catheter having a cooling fluid circulation path with an entrance and an exit, the method comprising: pumping a cooling fluid through the circulation path of the thermal therapy catheter positioned adjacent the tissue being cooled; sensing a temperature of the fluid after the fluid exits the thermal therapy catheter; sensing a parameter corresponding to flow rate of the fluid after the fluid exits the thermal therapy catheter; recirculating the cooling fluid exiting the catheter from the exit to the entrance and through the circulation path of the catheter; modifying the temperature of the fluid between the exit and the entrance based upon the sensed temperature of the fluid exiting the catheter; and controlling a pumping rate of the cooling fluid through the circulation path based upon the sensed flow rate of the fluid exiting the catheter.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
145 words
A method for cooling tissue adjacent a thermal therapy catheter having a cooling fluid circulation path with an entrance and an exit, the method comprising: pumping a cooling fluid through the circulation path of the thermal therapy catheter positioned adjacent the tissue being cooled; sensing a temperature of the fluid after the fluid exits the thermal therapy catheter; sensing a parameter corresponding to flow rate of the fluid after the fluid exits the thermal therapy catheter; recirculating the cooling fluid exiting the catheter from the exit to the entrance and through the circulation path of the catheter; modifying the temperature of the fluid between the exit and the entrance based upon the sensed temperature of the fluid exiting the catheter; and controlling a pumping rate of the cooling fluid through the circulation path based upon the sensed flow rate of the fluid exiting the catheter.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 7 wherein modifying the temperature of the fluid includes: circulating the fluid through a thermally conductive reservoir positioned adjacent a temperature controlled cooling surface having a temperature based upon the sensed temperature of the fluid exiting the catheter.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 7 wherein controlling a pumping rate includes: circulating the fluid through a compressible conduit; and peristaltically compressing the compressible conduit at a rate based on the sensed flow rate of the fluid exiting the catheter.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 7 wherein the step of sensing a temperature of the fluid includes: circulating the fluid adjacent a radiation emitter positioned adjacent an infrared radiation sensor.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 7 wherein the step of sensing a parameter corresponding to the flow rate includes: circulating the fluid adjacent a flexible diaphragm positioned adjacent a pressure sensor.