Selective organ cooling catheter with guidewire apparatus and temperature-monitoring device

• US 20080071337A1
• Filed: 11/13/2007
• Published: 03/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zoll Circulation Incorporated (Asahi Kasei Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Innercool therapies Incorporated (Taxus Cardium Pharmaceuticals Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Werneth, Randell, Lasheras, Juan, Dobak, John
• Granted Patent: US 8,163,000 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/113
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/02 by cooling, e.g. cryogenic techniques devices for cooling specific reflex points of the body within cell-life limits A61H39/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00292 mounted on or guided by flexible, e.g. catheter-like, means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0212 using an instrument inserted into a body lumen, e.g. catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0262 using a circulating cryogenic fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0056 for cooling
• 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: G05D 23/1919 characterised by the type of controller
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/22 the sensing element being a thermocouple
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/24 the sensing element having a resistance varying with temperature, e.g. a thermistor

Abstract

A guidable catheter for heating or cooling a surrounding fluid in a feeding vessel in a vasculature of a patient. The catheter includes a heat transfer element, the heat transfer element having a plurality of exterior surface irregularities shaped and arranged to create turbulence in a surrounding fluid. The surface irregularities have a depth at least equal to the boundary layer thickness of flow of the surrounding fluid in the feeding vessel. The catheter assembly also includes a supply catheter having a portion disposed within the heat transfer element to deliver a working fluid to an interior of the heat transfer element. The catheter assembly further includes a return catheter to return a working fluid from the interior of the heat transfer element. A guidewire tube is provided adjacent one of the supply catheter or the return catheter and runs substantially parallel to the axis of the guidable catheter to receive a guidewire disposed within the guidewire tube. The guidable catheter may further have a temperature-monitoring device disposed at the distal tip of the guidewire. The temperature-monitoring device may be a thermocouple or a thermistor. Feedback may further be provided to control the temperature of a source of working fluid. A method is also provided for selectively controlling the temperature of a selected volume of blood in a patient. The method includes introducing a guidewire into a blood vessel feeding a selected volume of blood in a patient and introducing a catheter assembly into the blood vessel feeding a selected volume of blood in a patient by inserting the guidewire into a guidewire tube in the catheter assembly. A working fluid is delivered from a source of working fluid through a supply catheter in the catheter assembly and returned through a return catheter in the catheter assembly. Heat is transferred between a heat transfer element forming a distal end of the catheter assembly and the volume of blood in the feeding vessel. The temperature is monitored of the volume of blood in the feeding vessel by measuring the temperature with a temperature-monitoring device disposed at or near the distal tip of the guidewire.

Claims

1. A temperature monitoring device assembly, comprising:

an elongated catheter having a distal end and a proximal end, the catheter being configured for advancing the catheter into a patient with the distal end located in the patient'"'"'s body and the proximal end located outside the patient'"'"'s body;

at least one temperature monitoring device located at or near the distal end of the probe body generating respective at least one temperature signal;

a catheter connector located at or near the proximal end of the catheter; and

a cable having a cable connector configured for engaging the catheter connector and at least one controller electrically connected to the cable connector.

2. The probe of claim 1, wherein the catheter is configured for advancement into a patient'"'"'s vasculature.

3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the temperature monitoring device includes a thermistor and the probe body is dosposable.

4. The probe of claim 1, in combination with the controller, wherein the temperature monitoring device generates a control feedback signal useful by the controller for controlling a heat exchanger.

5. The combination of claim 4, in further combination with the heat exchanger.

6. The combination of claim 5, in further combination with a heat exchange catheter in closed loop fluid communication with the heat exchanger.

7. A controller including a program of instructions undertaking method acts for controlling a heat exchanger, the method acts comprising:

receiving, from a temperature sensor, a patient temperature signal;

controlling a heat exchanger for a cooling catheter in response to the signal; and

generating an alarm signal when the signal reaches a predetermined setpoint.

8. The controller of claim 7, wherein the method further comprises generating an alarm signal when the signal indicates a failure of the sensor.