Multiprobe surgical cryogenic apparatus

Claim 1

Cryogenic surgical apparatus comprising: a) a plurality of probes, each having a contact surface, each of which probes is suitable for creating fast temperature changes at the contact surface, each of said probes comprising: 1) heating exchanging means coupled to an orifice, the orifice opening into conduit means; 2) conduit means in contact with the surface to be heated and cooled, the conduit means being suitable to allow a flow of a fluid in contact with the surface to be heated and cooled; 3) two independent connections for pressurized gas sources, connected to the heat exchanger; b) two independent pressurized gas sources, connected to the probe through the two independent connections; c) controllable gas flow valves to permit or preclude a flow of each of the gases from the independent pressurized gas sources into the probe; d) control means, to control the controllable gas flow rate valves according to desired probe temperatures; e) temperature generation means, coupled to each of the probes, being capable of creating cryogenic and above 0° C. temperatures at the contact surface of the probe; and f) temperature control means, to control the temperature generation means.