Abstract: A cryosurgical probe that is operative to bring target nerve tissue to a temperature below about ?140° C. so as to reduce or eliminate regeneration of the nerve tissue by growing an ice ball. The probe comprises a thermally conductive body, a thermally insulating body and a temperature sensor. The thermally conductive body has a conductive portion adapted to contact the tissue and form an ice ball thereat during use. The thermally insulating body is adjacent to the conductive portion onto which the ice ball forms during use. The temperature sensor is positioned at a predetermined position on the thermally insulating body with respect to the conductive portion. The predetermined position corresponds to a predetermined size of the ice ball grown in the tissue when the sensor reads a predetermined temperature. The insulating body provides sufficient thermal insulation between the conductive body and the surrounding tissue so that the sensor detects freezing of.

Abstract: A cryosurgical probe that is operative to bring target nerve tissue to a temperature below about ?140° C. so as to reduce or eliminate regeneration of the nerve tissue by growing an ice ball. The probe comprises a thermally conductive body, a thermally insulating body and a temperature sensor. The thermally conductive body has a conductive portion adapted to contact the tissue and form an ice ball thereat during use. The thermally insulating body is adjacent to the conductive portion onto which the ice ball forms during use. The temperature sensor is positioned at a predetermined position on the thermally insulating body with respect to the conductive portion. The predetermined position corresponds to a predetermined size of the ice ball grown in the tissue when the sensor reads a predetermined temperature. The insulating body provides sufficient thermal insulation between the conductive body and the surrounding tissue so that the sensor detects freezing of.