Closed circulation tissue warming apparatus and method of using the same in prostate surgery

Claim 1

A method for performing cryoablation of the prostate while maintaining the temperature of surrounding healthy tissue, including urethral tissues, at near normal body temperature, said method comprising: inserting a multi-lumen catheter through the urethra into the bladder, allowing body liquids to drain from the bladder through a central lumen of said catheter, pumping a temperature controlled warm liquid from a source of said warm liquid countercurrently through first and second communicating concentric passageways surrounding said central lumen of said catheter and back to said source, performing transperineal cryoablation of the prostate at a temperature of less than about -60° C. until the undesired tissue is destroyed, and maintaining the flow of said warm liquid at a temperature and flow rate through said passageways sufficient to maintain the temperature of the bladder and surrounding healthy tissue at a temperature of about normal body temperature.

Claim 2

A method for performing cryoablation of the prostate while maintaining the temperature of surrounding healthy tissue, including urethral tissues, at near normal body temperature, said method comprising: inserting a multi-lumen catheter through the urethra into the bladder, allowing body liquids to drain from the bladder through a central lumen of said catheter, pumping a temperature controlled warm liquid from a source of said warm liquid countercurrently through first and second communicating concentric passageways surrounding said central lumen of said catheter and back to said source, performing transperineal cryoablation of the prostate at a temperature of less than about -60° C. until the undesired tissue is destroyed, and maintaining the flow of said warm liquid at a temperature and flow rate through said passageways sufficient to maintain the temperature of the bladder and surrounding healthy tissue at a temperature of about normal body temperature.

Claim 4

A method for performing cryoablation of the prostate while maintaining the temperature of surrounding urethral tissues comprising: passing a multi-lumen catheter through the urethra into the bladder wherein said multi-lumen catheter comprises an elongated urethral catheter having a distal end, a proximal end and a central drainage lumen, a circulating fluid inflow block positioned concentrically on said catheter adjacent said proximal end thereof and having a fluid inflow chamber with a fluid inlet port, a circulating fluid outflow block positioned concentrically on said catheter and distally adjacent to said inflow block and having a fluid outflow chamber with a fluid outlet port, a first elongated sleeve concentric to said catheter forming a first lumen therebetween and having a proximal end extending through said outflow chamber and connected to said inflow block, and a second elongated sleeve concentric to said first sleeve forming a second lumen therebetween and having a proximal end connected to said outflow block, wherein said first sleeve terminates at a distal end proximal to said distal end of said catheter and said second sleeve terminates at a distal end between said distal end of said first sleeve and said distal end of said catheter, said distal end of said second sleeve being sealed to said catheter, said first lumen and said second lumen cooperating to form a closed loop, countercurrent flow, fluid conduit concentrically disposed along said catheter, activating a warming system to circulate warm fluid through said first and second lumens to maintain the temperature of said urethra at up to 42° C., and performing transperineal cryoablation of the prostate followed by deactivation of said warming system and removal of said multi-lumen catheter.

Claim 5

A method for performing cryoablation of the prostate while maintaining the temperature of surrounding urethral tissues comprising: passing a multi-lumen catheter through the urethra into the bladder wherein said multi-lumen catheter comprises an elongated urethral catheter having a distal end, a proximal end and a central drainage lumen, a circulating fluid inflow block positioned concentrically on said catheter adjacent said proximal end thereof and having a fluid inflow chamber with a fluid inlet port, a circulating fluid outflow block positioned concentrically on said catheter and distally adjacent to said inflow block and having a fluid outflow chamber with a fluid outlet port, a first elongated sleeve concentric to said catheter forming a first lumen therebetween and having a proximal end extending through said outflow chamber and connected to said inflow block, and a second elongated sleeve concentric to said first sleeve forming a second lumen therebetween and having a proximal end connected to said outflow block, wherein said first sleeve terminates at a distal end proximal to said distal end of said catheter and said second sleeve terminates at a distal end between said distal end of said first sleeve and said distal end of said catheter, said distal end of said second sleeve being sealed to said catheter, said first lumen and said second lumen cooperating to form a closed loop, countercurrent flow, fluid conduit concentrically disposed along said catheter, activating a warming system to circulate warm fluid through said first and second lumens to maintain the temperature of said urethra at up to 42° C., and performing transperineal cryoablation of the prostate followed by deactivation of said warming system and removal of said multi-lumen catheter.