PURGE PHASE FOR CRYOABLATION SYSTEMS

摘要

A method for purging a cryotreatment system, in particular, for clearing moisture and thus preventing ice blockages within a fluid flow path that may be formed when moisture pockets within the fluid flow path of the system are encountered by a first injection of refrigerant at the beginning of a cryotreatment procedure. The method may include injecting refrigerant from a refrigerant source into a fluid delivery conduit at a preselected pressure for a first period of time, the refrigerant flowing from the fluid delivery conduit through a fluid injection element and into a fluid recovery conduit, and evacuating refrigerant from the fluid recovery conduit by vacuum pressure generated by the vacuum pump for a second period of time. This method may be repeated for a plurality of cycles.