Combined cryotherapy and hypothermia method for the treatment of airway obstruction or prostate enlargement

Abstract

A method of reducing tissue volume for treatment of airway obstruction, obstructive sleep apnea, snoring, prostate tumor, and other pathologies comprising: applying a cryoprobe with a diameter preferably less than about 2 mm and with a sharp tip to first freeze the affected interstitial tissue of the soft palate, base of the tongue, tonsils or adenoids, singularly or in combination, or to the prostate, or other tissue, and then applying the same cryoprobe to heat the treated tissue.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A method of reducing tissue, comprising: 
 freezing interstitial ovopharyngeal tissue with a cryoprobe.    
     
     
         2 . A method of reducing tissue, comprising: 
 heating interstitial ovopharyngeal tissue with a cryoprobe.    
     
     
         3 . A method for reducing tissue, comprising: 
 freezing and heating said tissue with the same cryoprobe.    
     
     
         4 . A method for treatment of snoring, comprising: 
 freezing interstitial tissue of the soft palate or tonsils with a cryoprobe.    
     
     
         5 . A method for treatment of snoring, comprising: 
 heating interstitial tissue of the soft palate or tonsils with a cryoprobe.    
     
     
         6 . A method for treatment of snoring, comprising: 
 a) using a cryoprobe to first freeze at least one section of the patient selected from the group comprising: 
 the base of the tongue;  
 the soft palate;  
 and/or the tonsils; and  
 b) then heating said part of the patient with said cryoprobe.  
   
     
     
         7 . A method for treatment of snoring, comprising: 
 a) first freezing with a cryoprobe at least two sections of the patient selected from the group comprising: 
 the tonsils, the soft palate;  
 the base of the tongue; and  
 b) then heating the selected sections with a cryoprobe.  
   
     
     
         8 . A method for treatment of tonsillar enlargement, comprising: 
 a) first freezing the tonsils with a cryoprobe; and    b) then heating the tonsils with a cryoprobe.    
     
     
         9 . A method for treatment of snoring, comprising: 
 freezing with a cryoprobe at least one section of the patient selected from the group comprising: 
 the soft palate;  
 the tonsils; and  
 the base of the tongue.  
   
     
     
         10 . A method for treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea, comprising: 
 a) first freezing at least one section of the patient selected from the group comprising: 
 the soft palate, the base of the tongue and the tonsils with a cryoprobe; and  
 b) then heating the sections with a cryoprobe.  
   
     
     
         11 . A method for treatment of nasal obstruction comprising: 
 a) first freezing the inferior turbinates with a cryoprobe; and    b) then heating the inferior turbinates with a cryoprobe.    
     
     
         12 . A method for treatment of prostate enlargement comprising: 
 a) first freezing the interstitial tissue of the prostate with a cryoprobe; and    b) then heating the interstitial tissue of the prostate with a cryoprobe.    
     
     
         13 . A method for reducing body tissue with minimal blood loss comprising: 
 a) freezing the treated body tissue with a cryoprobe; and    b) heating the treated tissue with a cryoprobe.    
     
     
         14 . A method for reducing body tissue with minimal blood loss comprising the sequential steps of: 
 a) freezing the treated body tissue with a cryoprobe; and    b) then heating the treated tissue with a cryoprobe.    
     
     
         15 . The methods as claimed in  claim 12  wherein only a single cryoprobe is used.  
     
     
         16 . The methods as claimed in  claim 13  wherein only a single cryoprobe is used.  
     
     
         17 . The methods as claimed in  claim 14  wherein only a single cryoprobe is used.