SELF-CENTERING PATIENT TEMPERATURE CONTROL CATHETER

• US 20130079856A1
• Filed: 09/28/2011
• Published: 03/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zoll Circulation Incorporated (Asahi Kasei Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Zoll Circulation Incorporated (Asahi Kasei Corporation)
• Inventors: Dabrowiak, Jeremy T., Lim, Alex L., Gurukula, Venkata Vishnu, Helkowski, Richard A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,314,370 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/105
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0054 with a closed fluid circuit, e.g. hot water
• 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

Abstract

A patient temperature control catheter includes working fluid supply and return lumens through which working fluid circulates to exchange heat with a patient in whom the catheter is positioned. At least one lumen is defined by plural coils axially spaced from each other. At least a first coil is a large coil that inflates with working fluid to seat against a wall of a blood vessel in which the catheter is positioned, with blood flowing through the coil so as not to block blood flow in the vessel.

Claims

1. A catheter, comprising:

working fluid supply and return lumens through which working fluid circulates to exchange heat with a patient in whom the catheter is positioned, at least one lumen being defined by plural coils axially spaced from each other, at least a first coil being a large coil that inflates with working fluid to seat against a wall of a blood vessel in which the catheter is positioned with blood flowing through the coil so as not to block blood flow in the vessel.

2. The catheter of claim 1, wherein at least a second coil is a small coil that does not contact the wall of the blood vessel when inflated with working fluid.

3. The catheter of claim 2, comprising plural large coils separated from each other by at least one small coil.

4. The catheter of claim 2, wherein working fluid flows serially through the coils.

5. The catheter of claim 2, comprising a straight tube coaxial with the coils and in fluid communication therewith.

6. The catheter of claim 6, wherein the coils are in the working fluid supply path and the straight tube defines at least part of the working fluid return path.

7. The catheter of claim 6, wherein the coils are in the working fluid return path and the straight tube defines at least part of the working fluid supply path.

8. A method, comprising:

circulating working fluid through working fluid supply and return lumens of a catheter to exchange heat with a patient in whom the catheter is positioned; and

providing at least one self-centering member engaged with the catheter, the at least one member being expandable against a wall of a vascular area in which the catheter is positioned to center at least one heat exchange region of the catheter in the vascular area.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the at least one member is a large coil defined by at least one of the supply and return lumens, where the large coil is inflatable with working fluid to seat against a wall of the vascular area to center smaller coils defined by at least one of the supply and return lumens also inflatable with working fluid to exchange heat with a patient.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the coils are axially spaced from each other relative to the vascular area.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the at least one member is located generally longitudinally along the catheter.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the catheter is engaged with plural members alternating longitudinally along the catheter such that only one member is engaged with only one longitudinal portion of the catheter.

15. The method of claim 8, where the catheter is engaged with plural members located along the same longitudinal portion of the catheter.

17. The catheter of claim 8, wherein the wire is made of a shape memory substance.

18. The catheter of claim 8, wherein the heat exchange regions are substantially coaxial with the wire when the wire is expanded against the wall of the blood vessel.

12. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one member is substantially coaxial with the heat exchange region(s) when the member is expanded against the wall of the vascular area.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one member is generally coaxial with the wall of the vascular area when the member is positioned into the vascular area.

16. A catheter, comprising:

working fluid supply and return lumens through which working fluid circulates to exchange heat with a patient in whom the catheter is positioned; and

at least one expandable wire located longitudinally along the catheter and engaged therewith, the wire being expandable against a wall of a blood vessel in which the catheter is positioned to center heat exchange regions of the catheter in the vessel.

19. The catheter of claim 16, wherein the catheter is engaged with plural wires alternating longitudinally along the catheter such that only one wire is engaged with only one longitudinal portion of the catheter.

20. The catheter of claim 16, wherein the catheter is engaged with plural wires located along the same longitudinal portion of the catheter.