Temperature regulating catheter and methods
First Claim
1. A catheter for placement in a body structure within a patient, the catheter comprising:
- a catheter body having a proximal end, a distal end, at least one lumen defined by a luminal wall extending between the proximal end and the distal end said luminal wall defining at least one orifice therethrough to permit a body fluid to flow therethrough from the body of the patient into said lumen; and
a temperature altering mechanism in thermal communication with said lumen which alters the temperature of the body fluid passing through the lumen.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention provides methods and apparatus for regulating the temperature of a liquid medium while the liquid medium is within a patient. According to one exemplary method, a catheter is provided having a catheter body with a proximal end and a distal end. At least one lumen extends between the proximal end and distal end, and an internal temperature altering region is near the distal end. The catheter is introduced into a body structure until the temperature altering region is near a target area within the body structure. A liquid medium is introduced into the lumen so that the temperature of the liquid medium may be altered while passing through the temperature altering region.
299 Citations
32 Claims
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1. A catheter for placement in a body structure within a patient, the catheter comprising:
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a catheter body having a proximal end, a distal end, at least one lumen defined by a luminal wall extending between the proximal end and the distal end said luminal wall defining at least one orifice therethrough to permit a body fluid to flow therethrough from the body of the patient into said lumen; and a temperature altering mechanism in thermal communication with said lumen which alters the temperature of the body fluid passing through the lumen. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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- 7. A catheter as in 6, wherein the channel includes a first path which is adjacent the luminal surface and a second path which is adjacent an outer surface of the catheter body.
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15. A heat exchange catheter comprising:
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a catheter body defined by a proximal end, a distal end, and an internal lumen defined by a luminal wall extending along at least a portion of the catheter body for passage of fluid, said catheter body is formed with at least one orifice in communication with the internal lumen to permit a body fluid to flow therethrough from the body of the patient into the internal lumen; and a heat transfer region defined along only a discrete portion of the catheter body distal to the proximal end of the catheter body having a temperature altering mechanism adjacent to the luminal wall of the catheter body for exchanging heat with the fluid within the lumen. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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18. A method for regulating the temperature of a liquid medium while the liquid medium is within a patient, the method comprising:
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providing a catheter comprising a catheter body having a proximal end, a distal end, at least one lumen defined by a luminal wall extending between the proximal end and the distal end, and an internal temperature altering region disposed along the luminal wall of the catheter body for heat transfer defined by only a portion of the catheter body; introducing the catheter into a body structure until the distal end of the catheter body is near a target area within the body structure; introducing a liquid medium into the lumen; and altering the temperature of the liquid medium while passing through the temperature altering region so that the temperature of the liquid medium is altered when delivered to the target area. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A method for altering the temperature of a body fluid, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing a catheter having a lumen, said lumen having at least one orifice to permit a body fluid to flow through said orifice into said lumen, said catheter further having a heat altering mechanism in thermal communication with fluid contained within said lumen; placing said catheter in a body structure containing body fluid; permitting said body fluid to enter said lumen; and altering the temperature of said body fluid by said heat altering mechanism. - View Dependent Claims (32)
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Specification