Temperature management system and method for burn patients

• US 20080119788A1
• Filed: 11/21/2006
• Published: 05/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zoll Circulation Incorporated (Asahi Kasei Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Zoll Circulation Incorporated (Asahi Kasei Corporation)
• Inventors: Winter, Suzanne
• Granted Patent: US 7,892,270 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/113
• 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

Intravascular closed loop heat exchange catheters are used to manage temperature in burn patients.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

advancing a closed loop intravascular heat exchange catheter into the vasculature of a burn patient; and

establishing a desired patient temperature using the catheter.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the catheter is used to warm the patient during skin graft surgery.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the catheter is used to establish normothermia in the patient should the patient become febrile.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the catheter has plural heat exchange elements.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the heat exchange elements are balloons.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the heat exchange elements are metal.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the heat exchange elements are established by plural heat exchange fluid return tubes communicating with a central supply lumen at a distal end of the catheter for carrying heat exchange fluid, each return tube being formed spirally around the supply lumen such that a body fluid flowing past the return tube exchanges heat with the heat exchange fluid flowing therein.

8. A system for treating a burn patient comprising:

at least one heater/chiller;

at least one intravascular catheter configured for receiving working fluid from the heater/chiller and returning working fluid thereto in a closed loop; and

a substrate bearing instructions for using the catheter to establish a desired patient temperature in a burn patient.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the substrate bears instructions to use the catheter to warm the patient during skin graft surgery.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the substrate bears instructions to use the catheter to establish normothermia in the patient should the patient become febrile.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the catheter has plural heat exchange elements.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the heat exchange elements are balloons.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the heat exchange elements are metal.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the heat exchange elements are established by plural heat exchange fluid return tubes communicating with a central supply lumen at a distal end of the catheter for carrying heat exchange fluid, each return tube being formed spirally around the supply lumen such that a body fluid flowing past the return tube exchanges heat with the heat exchange fluid flowing therein.

15. A method for treating a burn patient comprising:

conducting skin graft surgery on the patient; and

during surgery, countering hypothermia in the patient using a catheter.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the catheter is used to establish normothermia in the patient should the patient become febrile.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the catheter has plural heat exchange elements.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the heat exchange elements are balloons or are metal.

19. The method of claim 15, comprising using the catheter to undertake at least one central venous line function selected from the group consisting of:

infusing medicament into the bloodstream, infusing saline into the bloodstream, and monitoring a patient parameter.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the act of countering hypothermia is executed by circulating working fluid through the catheter such that the working fluid does not enter the bloodstream and exchanges heat therewith.