Apparatus for effecting hyperthermic treatment

• US 4,476,867 A
• Filed: 08/23/1979
• Issued: 10/16/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Research Against Cancer Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Research Against Cancer Incorporated
• Inventors: Parks, Leon C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thaler, Michael H.
• Application Number:
  US06/068,950
• Time in Patent Office: 1,881 Days
• Field of Search: 128/399, 128/400, 128/303.1, 165/14, 165/26, 165/30, 165/61
• US Class Current: 607/106
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3655 Arterio-venous shunts or fistulae
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/369 Temperature treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3606 cooled
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/366 by liquid heat exchangers

Abstract

A process of hyperthermic treatment of a patient which comprises the steps of establishing a sterile extracorporeal flow path for blood having an inlet, an outlet and a temperature control zone therebetween, establishing communication of the flow path inlet with the patient'"'"'s bloodstream so that blood can be supplied to the extracorporeal flow path without adversely affecting the blood circulation in the area from which the blood is withdrawn, establishing communication of the flow path outlet with the patient'"'"'s bloodstream so that blood is returned to the bloodstream in such a way as to be distributed systemically, pumping blood withdrawn from the patient'"'"'s bloodstream through the temperature control zone at a controlled rate of at least approximately 1 liter per minute and returning the same to the patient'"'"'s bloodstream to be distributed systemically, controlling the temperature of the blood flowing through the temperature control zone for an initial period during which the temperature level of the blood within the zone is raised without subjecting the same to localized temperatures in excess of approximately 45° C. so that the systemic distribution of the returned blood gradually increases the core temperature of the patient'"'"'s body to a generally stable temperature condition at a level of approximately 41.5° C. but not higher than approximately 42.5° C., and maintaining control of the temperature of the blood flowing through the temperature control zone at the generally stable temperature for a second time period sufficient to effect the desired treatment and apparatus for carrying out the method.

Claims

1. Apparatus for providing a constant flow of temperature controlled liquid into and out of heat exchanger means in heat exchange relation to a flow of blood through said heat exchanger means which forms a part of a systemic extracorporeal flow circuit of a human patient for systemically treating the patient hyperthermically to retard the growth of cancer cells in the patient, said apparatus comprising

first reservoir means for containing a first body of liquid,

second reservoir means for containing a second body of liquid,

first pump means for pumping liquid from said first reservoir means,

second pump means for pumping liquid from said second reservoir means,

means for directing a predetermined constant flow of liquid from said pump means into said heat exchanger means,

means for maintaining the liquid in said first reservoir means at a substantially constant elevated temperature of approximately 45°

C.,

means for maintaining the liquid in said second reservoir means at a substantially constant reduced temperature of approximately 30°

C.,

means for varying the amount of liquid from said first pump means directed into said liquid flow directing means from 0 to 100% while proportionately varying the amount of liquid from said second pump means directed into said liquid flow directing means from 100% to 0% and while maintaining the constant flow as aforesaid, and

means for directing the liquid from said heat exchanger to said first and second reservoir means in amount generally proportional to the amount of liquid from said first and second pump means respectively directed into said liquid flow directing means.