Method and device including a colo-rectal heat exchanger

• US 6,641,602 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2002
• Issued: 11/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Zoll Circulation Incorporated (Asahi Kasei Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alsius Corporation (Asahi Kasei Corporation)
• Inventors: Balding, David P.
• Primary Examiner(s): GIBSON, ROY DEAN
• Application Number:
  US10/120,589
• Publication Number:
  US 20020151943A1
• Time in Patent Office: 572 Days
• Field of Search: 607/96, 607/104, 607/105, 604/113
• US Class Current: 607/105
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0054 with a closed fluid circuit, e.g. hot water
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0059 with an open fluid circuit
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 7/123 using a flexible balloon containing the thermal element

Abstract

A method of regulating the temperature of a patient by inserting a heat exchange catheter into a colon of a patient. The heat exchange catheter is inflated with a heat exchange fluid from a temperature control unit wherein the heat exchange fluid is not infused into the patient. The heat exchange catheter has a catheter body with an inflow lumen, an outflow lumen, and an irrigation lumen for irrigating the colon.

Claims

1. A method of regulating patient temperature, the method comprising:

inserting a heat exchange catheter into a colon of a patient to regulate patient temperature, the heat exchange catheter having a proximal end, a distal end, an inflow lumen, an outflow lumen and an irrigation lumen;

irrigating the colon with an irrigation solution through the irrigation lumen of the heat exchange catheter;

inflating the heat exchange catheter with at least one heat exchange fluid from a temperature control unit through the inflow lumen wherein the heat exchange fluid is circulated through the catheter body;

deflating the heat exchange catheter by removing the heat exchange fluid through the outflow lumen; and

flushing the colon by removing the irrigation fluid from the colon.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising inflating and deflating the heat exchange catheter at least once to regulate efflux of irrigation solution.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising regulating pressure inside the catheter body.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the step of regulating includes actuating a valve to regulate pressure within the outflow lumen.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of circulating the heat exchange fluid includes circulating heat exchange fluid reciprocally.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of circulating the heat exchange fluid includes circulating heat exchange fluid unidirectionally.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising sensing patient temperature, and automatically changing the temperature of the heat exchange fluid in accordance with the sensed patient temperature.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising targeting a local region of the colon, and circulating the heat exchange fluid to the targeted region of the colon.

9. A method of regulating patient temperature, the method comprising:

inserting a heat exchange catheter into a colon of a patient, the heat exchange catheter having a proximal end, a distal end, an inflow lumen, an outflow lumen and an irrigation lumen;

irrigating the colon with an irrigation solution through the irrigation lumen of the heat exchange catheter;

inflating the heat exchange catheter with at least one heat exchange fluid through the inflow lumen wherein the heat exchange fluid is circulated through the catheter body; and

controlling the inflation of the heat exchange catheter by regulating a rate of flow of the heat exchange fluid.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein regulating the rate of flow is accomplished by actuating a valve.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the rate of flow is regulated by a pump.