Intravascular systems for corporeal cooling

• US 20010014799A1
• Filed: 01/26/2001
• Published: 08/16/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Arthur E. Schwartz
• Original Assignee: Arthur E. Schwartz
• Inventors: Schwartz, Arthur E.
• Application Number:
  US09/771,065
• Publication Number:
  US 20010014799A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/508
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/1052 for temporarily occluding a vessel for isolating a sector
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/1059 having different inflatable sections mainly depending on the response to the inflation pressure, e.g. due to different material properties with different compartments A61M2025/1072
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3606 cooled
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0662 Guide tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/1011 Multiple balloon catheters

Abstract

A catheter for intravascular corporeal cooling comprises an elongated tubular member having at least one lumen extending therethrough for providing cooled blood, an inflatable annular balloon positioned on the outer surface of the elongated tubular member, and a pressure reliever positioned in the external wall of the elongated tubular member and proximal to the annular inflatable balloon, wherein when the pressure of blood within a lumen reaches a predetermined value, the pressure reliever opens to permit fluid to be released from the elongated tubular member. In other embodiments of the invention the catheter may have two or more inflatable annular balloons that are separately inflatable and/or the catheter has an insulative outer annular member.

Claims

1. A catheter for intravascular corporeal cooling which comprises:

an elongated tubular member having proximal and distal sections, at least two lumens extending therethrough, an outer surface, and an outer wall,

an inflatable annular balloon positioned on the outer surface of the elongated tubular member, and

pressure relief means positioned in the external wall of the elongated tubular member and proximal to the annular inflatable balloon, wherein at least one lumen in the tubular member can provide cooled blood in the distal direction and when the pressure of fluid within a lumen in the elongated tubular member reaches a predetermined value, the pressure relief means opens to permit fluid to be released from the elongated tubular member.

2. The catheter of

claim 1

, wherein the pressure relief means comprises a friable membrane.

3. The catheter of

claim 1

, wherein the pressure relief means comprises a one-way valve.

4. The catheter of

claim 1

, wherein the pressure relief means comprises an elongated fissure.

5. The catheter of

claim 1

, wherein the annular balloon is in fluid communication with an inflation lumen extending longitudinally through the tubular member.

6. The catheter of

claim 1

, which comprises at least one additional inflatable annular balloon.

7. The catheter of

claim 6

, wherein each inflatable annular balloon is in fluid communication with an inflation lumen.

8. The catheter of

claim 1

which also comprises a pressure sensor at or adjacent to the distal end of the catheter.

9. The catheter of

claim 1

which is useful for brain cooling.

10. The catheter of

claim 1

, wherein at least one lumen is in fluid communication with a source of cooled blood.

11. The catheter of

claim 1

, wherein at least one lumen is in fluid communication with a liquid pharmaceutical source.

12. A catheter for intravascular corporeal cooling comprising:

an elongated tubular member having proximal and distal ends, at least two lumens extending therethrough, and an outer surface, and

two or more inflatable annular balloons arranged on the outer surface of the elongated tubular member, wherein at least one lumen in the tubular member can provide cooled blood in the distal direction and at least two of said inflatable annular balloons are in fluid communication with respective separate inflation lumens.

13. The catheter of

claim 12

, wherein there are 3 or 4 adjacent inflatable annular balloons.

14. The catheter of

claim 12

, wherein the each inflatable annular balloon is in fluid communication with a separate inflation lumen.

15. The catheter of

claim 12

, wherein each inflatable lumen is in fluid communication with an inflator capable of inflating and deflating the inflatable annular balloons separately.

16. The catheter of

claim 12

which also comprises a pressure sensor at or adjacent to the distal end of the catheter.

17. The catheter of

claim 12

which is useful for brain cooling.

18. The catheter of

claim 12

, wherein at least one lumen is in fluid communication with a source of cooled blood.

19. The catheter of

claim 12

, wherein at least one lumen is in fluid communication with a liquid pharmaceutical source.

43. The method of

claim 40

or

42

, wherein the catheter is a catheter of

claim 12

.

20. A catheter for intravascular corporeal cooling comprising:

an elongated tubular member having proximal and distal sections, an outer surface, and at least one lumen extending therethrough, and

annular insulation having proximal and distal ends and arranged concentrically around the outer surface of the elongated external tubular member, whereby at least one lumen in the tubular member can provide cooled blood in the distal direction and fluid flowing through one or more lumens within the elongated external member is insulated from fluid or tissue external to the annular insulation.

21. The catheter of

claim 20

, wherein the annular insulation extends substantially the entire length of the elongated tubular member.

22. The catheter of

claim 20

, wherein the distal end of the annular insulation is tapered.

23. The catheter of

claim 20

, wherein the annular insulation extends for from about 50 to 80% of the total length of the elongated tubular member.

24. The catheter of

claim 20

, wherein the annular insulation comprises a fluid-filled tubular member.

25. The catheter of

claim 24

, wherein the fluid is water or saline solution.

26. The catheter of

claim 24

, wherein the fluid is a gas.

27. The catheter of

claim 20

, wherein the annular insulation comprises a tubular member filled with insulative material.

28. The catheter of

claim 27

, wherein the insulative material is a synthetic polymeric fill.

29. The catheter of

claim 20

which also comprises a pressure sensor at or adjacent to the distal end of the catheter.

30. The catheter of

claim 20

which is useful for brain cooling.

31. The catheter of

claim 20

, wherein at least one lumen is in fluid communication with a source of cooled blood.

32. The catheter of

claim 20

, wherein at least one lumen is in fluid communication with a liquid pharmaceutical source.

45. The method of

claim 40

or

42

, wherein the catheter is a catheter of

claim 20

.

33. A catheter for intravascular corporeal brain cooling comprising:

an elongated tubular member having distal and proximal sections, an outer surface, and at least two lumens extending therethrough, and

an inflatable, extended annular member positioned on the outer surface of the elongated tubular member and positioned so that when the corporeal cooling catheter is in position, the annular member is positioned in the patient'"'"'s aorta, wherein at least one lumen in the tubular member can provide cooled blood in the distal direction.

34. The catheter of

claim 33

, wherein the annular member is in fluid communication with an inflatable lumen.

35. The catheter of

claim 33

which also comprises a pressure sensor at or adjacent to the distal end of the catheter.

46. The method of

claim 40

or

42

, wherein the catheter is a catheter of

claim 33

.

36. A catheter set for intravascular corporeal cooling comprising:

a first elongated tubular member having proximal and distal ends, and

a second tubular member arranged concentrically around the proximal end of the first elongated tubular member and having proximal and distal portions, wherein the distal portion of the second elongated tubular member has openings.

37. The catheter of

claim 36

, wherein the openings in the distal portion of the second elongated longitudinal tubular member can be varied.

38. The catheter of

claim 37

which comprises a third tubular member arranged concentrically around the distal portion of the second tubular member and wherein the openings are varied by rotating and/or sliding the third tubular member over the outer surface of the second tubular member.

39. A catheter for intravascular corporeal cooling comprising:

an elongated tubular member having proximal and distal ends and at least one lumen extending therethrough, an outer surface, and a tubular wall,

two spaced-apart annular balloons arranged on the outer surface of the distal section of the elongated tubular member, and

a lateral opening in the wall of the tubular member between the annular balloons, wherein at least one lumen of the elongated tubular member can provide cooled blood in the distal direction.

40. A method of treating a patient who has had a stroke, which comprises the steps of

positioning the distal portion of a corporeal cooling catheter within the patient'"'"'s internal or external carotid artery, and

providing cooled blood through said catheter into the internal carotid artery,

wherein the patient is treated within sufficient time after the stroke to minimize or prevent cardiovascular, muscular, or neural insult or damage.

41. The method of

claim 40

, wherein the patient is treated within twelve hours after the stroke.

44. The method of

claim 40

or

42

, wherein the catheter is a catheter of

claim 9

.

42. A method of treating, minimizing, or avoiding renal failure in a patient, comprising the steps of

positioning the distal portion of a corporeal cooling catheter into a renal artery of the patient, and

providing cooled blood through said catheter into the renal artery.