Medical procedure

• US 6,491,039 B1
• Filed: 03/31/2000
• Issued: 12/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Zoll Circulation Incorporated (Asahi Kasei Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Innercool therapies Incorporated (Taxus Cardium Pharmaceuticals Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Dobak, John D. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Isabella, David J.
• Application Number:
  US09/539,932
• Time in Patent Office: 984 Days
• Field of Search: 128/898, 607/104, 607/106, 607/105, 607/96, 607/98, 607/99, 607/100, 606/20, 606/21, 606/22, 606/27, 606/28, 604/96, 604/97, 604/113
• US Class Current: 128/898
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/02 by cooling, e.g. cryogenic techniques devices for cooling specific reflex points of the body within cell-life limits A61H39/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00292 mounted on or guided by flexible, e.g. catheter-like, means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0212 using an instrument inserted into a body lumen, e.g. catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0262 using a circulating cryogenic fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0056 for cooling
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0288 during operations
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 7/123 using a flexible balloon containing the thermal element

Abstract

The use of an intravascular cooling element to induce hypothermia in connection with a medical procedure. According to a first aspect of the present, invention, a coronary bypass procedure is conducted in which a patient'"'"'s blood is oxygenated with the patient'"'"'s lungs and in which blood is circulated using the patient'"'"'s heart or using an intracorporeal pump. The procedure preferably comprises: (a) positioning a heat transfer element in a blood vessel of a patient; (b) cooling the body of the patient to less than 35° C., more preferably 32±° C., using the heat transfer element; and (c) forming a fluid communicating graft between an arterial blood supply and the coronary artery. The body of the patient is preferably heated to about 37° C. using the heat transfer element subsequent to the step of forming the fluid communicating graft. According to a further aspect of the invention, a hypothermic medical procedure is provided while a patient is in a conscious or semiconscious state, comprising (a) administering a beta-blocking drug to the patient; (b) delivering a heat transfer element to a blood vessel of the patient; and (c) cooling a region of the patient or the body of the patient to less than 35° C. using the heat transfer element.

Claims

1. A hypothermic medical procedure comprising;

administering a beta-blocking drug to a patient;

placing a heat transfer element into a blood vessel of the patient; and

cooling a region of the patient or the body of the patient to less than 35°

C. using said heat transfer element, after or contemporaneous with the administration of the beta-blocking drug, while said patient is in a conscious or semiconscious state.

2. The procedure of claim 1, wherein the beta-blocking drug is a β

1 blocker.

3. The procedure of claim 2, wherein the β

1 blocker is selected from one or more of acebutolol, atenolol, betaxolol, bisoprolol, esmolol and metoprolol.

4. The procedure of claim 1, wherein the beta-blocking drug is a β

1β

2 blocker.

5. The procedure of claim 4, wherein the β

1β

2 blocker is selected from one or more of carteolol, nadolol, penbutolol, pindolol, propranolol, sotalol and timolol.

6. The procedure of claim 1, wherein the beta-blocking drug is an α

β

1β

2 blocker.

7. The procedure of claim 4, wherein the α

β

1β

2 blocker is selected from one or more of carvedilol and labetalol.

8. The procedure of claim 1, wherein the beta-blocking drug is administered after placing the heat transfer element.

9. The procedure of claim 1, wherein the entire body of the patient is cooled.

10. The procedure of claim 1, wherein the region of the patient that is cooled is an organ.