Central venous catheter with heat exchange properties

• US 6,419,643 B1
• Filed: 08/18/1999
• Issued: 07/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Zoll Circulation Incorporated (Asahi Kasei Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alsius Corporation
• Inventors: Luo, Xia, Worthen, William J., Walker, Blair D., Evans, Scott M., Pecor, Robert, Shimada, Lynn M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaver, Kevin
• Assistant Examiner(s): SZMAL, BRIAN SCOTT
• Application Number:
  US09/376,524
• Time in Patent Office: 1,063 Days
• Field of Search: 600/585, 607/106, 607/23, 607/105, 607/104, 606/34
• US Class Current: 600/585
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3415 for introducing tubes or catheters, e.g. gastrostomy tubes, drain catheters A61B17/3417 takes precedence; body piercing catheter guide needles A61M25/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3417 Details of tips or shafts, e.g. grooves, expandable, bendable; Multiple coaxial sliding cannulas, e.g. for dilating syringe needles A61M5/32; dilators A61M29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3421 Cannulas
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3462 with means for changing the diameter or the orientation of the entrance port of the cannula, e.g. for use with different-sized instruments, reduction ports, adapter seals expandable cannulas A61B17/3417
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00084 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00011 with fluids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00023 closed, i.e. without wound contact by the fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/126 for invasive application, e.g. for introducing into blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 7/10 Cooling bags, e.g. ice-bags
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/369 Temperature treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0031 characterized by lumina for withdrawing or delivering, i.e. used for extracorporeal circuit treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0036 with more than four lumina
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/1013 with concentrically mounted balloons, e.g. being independently inflatable
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/36 related to heating or cooling
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/00 Catheters; Hollow probes dilators A61M29/00; peritoneal catheters A61M1/285; tracheal tubes A61M16/04; for drainage A61M27/00; for uterus, vagina or rectum A61M31/00 ; for measuring or testing A61B; materials for catheters A61L29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0028 characterized by features relating to at least one lumen located at the proximal part of the catheter, e.g. alterations in lumen shape or valves catheter hubs A61M25/0097
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0032 characterized by at least one unconventionally shaped lumen, e.g. polygons, ellipsoids, wedges or shapes comprising concave and convex parts
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0662 Guide tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/1011 : Multiple balloon catheters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/44 : having means for cooling or heating the devices or media

Abstract

An introducer sheath for a central venous catheter includes a sheath body and a temperature sensor mounted distally on the body. Either the catheter or sheath has a heat exchange region through which coolant is circulated to effect heat exchange with the body, with the coolant temperature being controlled in response to signals from the temperature sensor. Arterial dialysis heat exchange catheters and jugular bulb heat exchange catheters are also disclosed.

Claims

1. An introducer sheath for a central venous line catheter, comprising:

a hollow body defining a proximal end, a distal end adapted to be positioned in a patient, and at least one lumen extending therebetween;

said hollow body further comprising at least one coolant lumen and at least one membrane communicating with the at least one coolant lumen;

a barrier in the lumen at or near the proximal end of the body for selectively blocking the lumen; and

at least one temperature sensor mounted on the body at or near the distal end for generating a temperature signal.

2. The sheath of claim 1, wherein the barrier is a septum.

3. The sheath of claim 1, wherein the temperature sensor is thermistor or thermocouple.

4. The sheath of claim 1, in combination with the catheter.

5. The sheath of claim 4, wherein the catheter includes at least one distally-located cooling membrane.

6. The sheath of claim 1, wherein the body further includes a coolant supply lumen and a coolant return lumen, both the coolant supply lumen and coolant return lumen communicating with a distally-located heat transfer region associated with the body.

7. The sheath of claim 6, wherein the heat transfer region is established by at least one membrane attached to the body.

8. The sheath of claim 6, wherein the heat transfer region is established by at least one distally-located fluid passageway formed in the body.

9. The sheath of claim 1, wherein the barrier is a hemostasis valve.

10. An introducer sheath, comprising:

a hollow body defining a proximal end, a distal end adapted to be positioned in a patient, and at least one first lumen extending therebetween, the body also defining a coolant supply lumen and a coolant return lumen;

said hollow body further comprising at least one membrane communicating with the coolant supply lumen;

a barrier in the first lumen at or near the proximal end of the body for selectively blocking the first lumen; and

a distally-located heat transfer region associated with the body and communicating with the coolant supply and return lumens.

11. The sheath of claim 10, wherein the heat transfer region is established by at least one membrane attached to the body.

12. The sheath of claim 10, wherein the heat transfer region is established by at least one distally-located fluid passageway formed in the body.

13. The sheath of claim 10, further comprising at least one temperature sensor mounted on the body for generating a temperature signal.

14. The sheath of claim 10, wherein the barrier is a septum.

15. The sheath of claim 13, wherein the temperature sensor is thermistor or thermocouple.

16. The sheath of claim 10, in combination with the catheter.

17. The sheath of claim 16, wherein the catheter includes at least one distally-located cooling membrane.

18. The sheath of claim 10, wherein the barrier is a hemostasis valve.

19. An introducer sheath for a central venous catheter, comprising:

a hollow body defining a proximal end, a distal end adapted to be positioned in a patient, and at least one lumen extending between the proximal end and the distal end;

said hollow body further comprising at least one coolant lumen and at least one membrane communicating with the at least one coolant lumen;

a barrier in the lumen at or near the proximal end of the body for selectively blocking the lumen;

at least one temperature sensor mounted on the body at or near the distal end for generating a temperature signal; and

a heat transfer region established by one or more heat exchange elements, the heat transfer region extending substantially from the proximal end to the distal end of the hollow body.

20. An introducer sheath for a central venous catheter, comprising:

a hollow body defining a proximal end, a distal end adapted to be positioned in a patient, at least one first lumen extending between the proximal end and the distal end, a coolant supply lumen, and a coolant return lumen;

said hollow body further comprising at least one membrane communicating with the coolant supply lumen;

a barrier in the first lumen at or near the proximal end of the body for selectively blocking the first lumen; and

a distally-located heat transfer region extending substantially from the proximal end to the distal end of the hollow body and communicating with the coolant supply and return lumens.

21. An introducer sheath for a central venous catheter, comprising:

a hollow body defining a proximal end, a distal end adapted to be positioned in a patient, and at least one lumen means for providing entry for the catheter into a patient'"'"'s venous system, the lumen means extending between the proximal end and the distal end;

barrier means for selectively blocking the lumen means, the barrier means being disposed at or near the proximal end of the hollow body;

temperature sensor means for generating a temperature signal, the temperature sensor means being disposed on the body at or near the distal end; and

a heat transfer region established by at least one heat exchange membrane means for transferring heat between the coolant and fluid in the patient'"'"'s venous system, the heat transfer region extending substantially from the proximal end to the distal end of the hollow body.

22. The sheath of claim 21, in combination with the central venous catheter.

23. The sheath of claim 22, the catheter including at least one distally-located cooling means for exchanging heat with fluid in the patient'"'"'s venous system.

24. The sheath of claim 21, the body further including coolant supply means for transporting coolant in a direction from the proximal end to the distal end of the hollow body and coolant return means for transporting coolant in a direction from the distal end to the proximal end of the hollow body, each of the at least one heat exchange means communicating with the coolant supply means and coolant return means.

25. An introducer sheath for a central venous catheter, comprising:

a hollow body defining a proximal end, a distal end adapted to be positioned in a patient, and at least one first lumen means for providing entry for the catheter into a patient'"'"'s venous system, the at least one first lumen means extending between the proximal end and the distal end, the body also defining a coolant supply means for transporting coolant in a direction from the proximal end to the distal end of the hollow body and a coolant return means for transporting coolant in a direction from the distal end to the proximal end of the hollow body;

barrier means for selectively blocking the first lumen means, the barrier means being disposed at or near the proximal end of the hollow body; and

a heat transfer region established by at least one heat exchange membrane means for transferring heat between the coolant and fluid in the patient'"'"'s venous system, the heat transfer region extending substantially from the proximal end to the distal end of the hollow body, each of the at least one heat exchange means communicating with the coolant supply means and coolant return means.

26. The sheath of claim 25, in combination with the catheter.

27. The sheath of claim 26, the catheter including at least one distally-located cooling means for exchanging heat with fluid in the patient'"'"'s venous system.