Fever regulation method and apparatus
First Claim
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1. A method for treating fever in a patient'"'"'s body intravascularly, comprising:
- providing a catheter having a cooling element attached to a distal end thereof;
inserting the catheter through the vascular system of a patient with a fever to place the cooling element in a vein that drains into the heart of a patient;
circulating fluid through the cooling element;
transferring heat from the blood in the vein to the cooling element; and
thereby lowering the temperature of the patient, further comprising inducing mixing in the blood of the vascular system of the patient.
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Abstract
A device and method for providing body cooling for treating fever. The cooling device applies cooling to blood flowing in a vein or artery, e.g., the vena cavae, that is then distributed throughout the body.
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Citations
5 Claims
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1. A method for treating fever in a patient'"'"'s body intravascularly, comprising:
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providing a catheter having a cooling element attached to a distal end thereof;
inserting the catheter through the vascular system of a patient with a fever to place the cooling element in a vein that drains into the heart of a patient;
circulating fluid through the cooling element;
transferring heat from the blood in the vein to the cooling element; and
thereby lowering the temperature of the patient, further comprising inducing mixing in the blood of the vascular system of the patient.
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2. A method for treating fever in a patient'"'"'s body intravascularly, comprising:
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providing a catheter having a cooling element attached to a distal end thereof;
inserting the catheter through the vascular system of a patient with a fever to place the cooling clement in a vein that drains into the heart of a patient;
circulating fluid through the cooling element;
transferring heat from the blood in the vein to the cooling element; and
thereby lowering the temperature of the patient, further comprising administering a thermoregulatory drug to the patient. - View Dependent Claims (3)
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4. A method for determining duration of a intravascular fever treatment, comprising:
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providing a catheter having a cooling element attached to a distal end thereof;
inserting the catheter through the vascular system of a patient with a fever to place the cooling element in a vein that drains into the heart of a patient;
circulating fluid through the cooling element, and measuring a starting power withdrawn and starting body temperature at the beginning of the circulating;
transferring heat from the blood in the vein to the cooling element, and thereby lowering the temperature of the patient;
measuring a power withdrawn and body temperature during the circulating;
measuring a power withdrawn at substantially the time when the body temperature equals a normothermic temperature;
calculating a Tabsence of cooling from the power withdrawn at substantially the time when the body temperature equals a normothermic temperature, the normothermic temperature, the starting power withdrawn and the starting body temperature; and
comparing the Tabsence of cooling with the normothermic temperature, and continuing the circulating if Tabsence of cooling is greater than the normothermic temperature, and discontinuing the circulating if Tabsence of cooling is less than the normothermic temperature.
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5. A computer program, residing on a computer-readable medium, containing instructions for causing a chiller console, circulating set, and intravascularly inserted catheter having a heat transfer element at a distal end thereof to:
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circulate fluid through a heat transfer element, and measuring a starting power withdrawn and starting body temperature corresponding to a body temperature of a patient at the beginning of the circulating;
transfer heat from the blood in the vasculature to the heat transfer element, and thereby lowering the body temperature of a patient;
measure a power withdrawn and body temperature during the circulating;
measure a power withdrawn at substantially the time when the body temperature equals a normothermic temperature;
calculate a Tabsence of cooling from;
the power withdrawn at substantially the time when the body temperature equals a normothermic temperature, the normothermic temperature, the starting power withdrawn, and the starting body temperature; and
compare the Tabsence of cooling with the normothermic temperature, and continuing the circulating if Tabsence of cooling is greater than the normothermic temperature, and discontinuing the circulating if Tabsence of cooling is less than the normothermic temperature.
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Specification