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Patient warming apparatus

  • US 5,211,631 A
  • Filed: 07/24/1991
  • Issued: 05/18/1993
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/24/1991
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. Apparatus for warming a patient with heated fluids at a controlled temperature and flow rate, the patient having blood which circulates within endothelial lined vessels, the patient'"'"'s blood having a core temperature inside the patient and a vessel temperature inside a selected endothelial lined vessel, comprising:

  • catheter means for injecting the heated fluids into the selected vessel of the patient through an opening in the patient, said catheter means including a catheter having a proximal catheter end and a distal catheter end which is to be passed through the patient opening and into the selected vessel of the patient;

    means for mixing the heated fluids with the blood without excessive endothelial damage, said mixing means including a plurality of orifices near said distal catheter end for passing the heated fluids into the patient, said distal catheter end further having means for separating said fluid passing means from the patient so that substantially all of the heated fluids mix with the blood within the patient before the heated fluids reach the patient'"'"'s endothelial lined vessels;

    means for thermally isolating the patient opening from said catheter means, said thermal isolating means including a sheath which surrounds said catheter means at the patient opening, a cooling jacket between said sheath and said catheter means, and means between said sheath and said catheter means for spacing said sheath from said catheter; and

    means for controlling the temperature and the flow rate of the fluids into the patient.

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