A system and method for generating a gas-supersaturated fluid and
delivering the fluid at high delivery pressures to thereby prevent bubble
nucleation is disclosed. The system comprises a housing for containing a
removable fluid assembly for housing a fluid to be gas-supersaturated and
a drive assembly for delivering the fluid to a delivery site. The housing
assembly comprises a cylinder and a piston which may be advanced along
the inner surface of the cylinder to pressurize and to deliver the fluid.
To generate a gas-supersaturated fluid, the housing assembly is removed
from the system housing, filled with a fluid, and gas is introduced at or
slightly above the desired gas partial pressure into the cylinder. To
deliver the gas-supersaturated fluid, the fluid assembly is returned to
the system housing and the drive assembly advances the piston to increase
the hydrostatic pressure to the desired delivery pressure and, after
opening a valve, to deliver the gas-supersaturated fluid at the desired
high delivery pressure to a delivery site.