Targeted cooling of tissue within a body

• US 20060142827A1
• Filed: 02/17/2006
• Published: 06/29/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Scimed Life Systems Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Harrison, Kent, Willard, Martin
• Granted Patent: US 7,485,109 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/105
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/126 for invasive application, e.g. for introducing into blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 7/12 Devices for heating or cooling internal body cavities
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 7/123 using a flexible balloon containing the thermal element

Abstract

Devices and methods to cool a target tissue region inside the body are described. Fluid cooled below normal body temperature and blood at a normal body temperature are provided to the tissue region in proportions to cool the tissue region. A system for controlling the temperature of the target tissue region is disclosed. The system includes a catheter and a control system that controls the amount of cool fluid and blood provided to the tissue region. A catheter for providing cool fluid to the tissue region is also provided. The catheter includes a temperature sensor that extends to a location distal to the distal end of the catheter to sense the temperature of the tissue region.

Claims

1-25. -25. (canceled)

26. A system for controlling the temperature of a target tissue region inside the body, the system comprising:

a catheter for providing cooled fluid to the tissue region and for controlling normal blood flow to the tissue region; and

a control system that controls the amount of the cooled fluid and blood that the catheter provides to the tissue region so as to cool and to maintain, for an extended period of time, the tissue region within a target temperature range that is below normal body temperature.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein the catheter for providing fluid and controlling normal blood flow to the tissue region is a perfusion catheter.

28. The system of claim 26 wherein the catheter for providing fluid and controlling normal blood flow to the tissue region is a balloon catheter.

29. The system of claim 26 wherein the catheter comprises an infusion lumen for providing fluid to the tissue region, the infusion lumen having a diameter of at least twenty thousandths of an inch.

30. The system of claim 26 wherein the control system comprises a controller that controls the cooling of the tissue region without measuring the temperature of the tissue region.

31. The system of claim 26 wherein the control system comprises a controller that controls the cooling of the tissue region without measuring the temperature of the cool fluid as it exits the catheter and is provided to the tissue region.

32. The system of claim 26 wherein the catheter includes a temperature sensor that may be advanced to a location distal to the catheter to measure the temperature of the tissue region.

33. The system of claim 32 wherein the control system comprises a temperature monitor that receives temperature information from the temperature sensor.

34. The system of claim 26 wherein the control system comprises an infusion pump to control the amount of cool fluid provided to the tissue region.

35. The system of claim 26 wherein the control system comprises an inflation pump to inflate and deflate a balloon on the catheter, the balloon controlling the amount of blood provided to the tissue region.

36-40. -40. (canceled)