Method for treating cardiac arrest

• US 6,516,224 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2001
• Issued: 02/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Zoll Circulation Incorporated (Asahi Kasei Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alsius Corporation
• Inventors: Worthen, William J., Winter, Suzanne C., Lasersohn, Jack W., Evans, Scott M., Balding, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Jastrzab, Jeffrey R.
• Application Number:
  US09/911,369
• Publication Number:
  US 20010049545A1
• Time in Patent Office: 560 Days
• Field of Search: 607/3, 607/5, 607/104-106, 604/27, 604/28
• US Class Current: 607/3
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00011 with fluids
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0056 for cooling
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0076 remote from the spot to be heated or cooled
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0214 cooled
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 31/006 Power driven
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/369 Temperature treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0465 Tracheostomy tubes; Devices for performing a tracheostomy; Accessories therefor, e.g. masks, filters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/10 Preparation of respiratory gases or vapours
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/44 having means for cooling or heating the devices or media
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3904 External heart defibrillators [EHD]

Abstract

A method for treating cardiac arrest includes defibrillating the patient and/or ventilating the patient and/or administering a cardiac arrest drug such as epinephrine to resuscitate the patient, and then cooling the patient'"'"'s body temperature using one or more cooling catheters positioned in the central venous system of the patient and/or particularly cooling the patient'"'"'s brain temperature using a catheter advanced into the aortic arch or into the carotid artery whereby a bolus of cold saline solution is introduced into the blood supplied to the brain to lower the brain temperature quickly, and further cooling or maintaining the brain temperature at a desired level by pumping coolant in a closed circuit formation between the catheter and the coolant source to remove heat from the blood supplied to the patient'"'"'s brain.

Claims

1. A method for treating cardiac arrest in a human patient, comprising the acts of:

lowering said patient'"'"'s temperature using a first catheter placed in the central venous system of said patient, said first catheter including a fluid circulation passageway connectable to a source of coolant; and

introducing a bolus of saline into said patient'"'"'s arterial system, wherein

coolant is circulated between the catheter and the source of coolant in a closed loop.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the act of defibrillating said patient.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the act of administering a precordial thump to said patient.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the act of ventilating said patient.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the act of administering one or more of:

epinephrine, buffers, antiarrhythmics, and atropine to said patient.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said bolus of saline solution is introduced through a second catheter.