Multi-tipped cooling probe

• US 6,660,026 B2
• Filed: 10/04/2001
• Issued: 12/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Seacoast Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Seacoast Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Sachs, Dan, Larnard, Donald J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dvorak, Linda C. M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Johnson, Henry M.
• Application Number:
  US09/971,014
• Publication Number:
  US 20020091425A1
• Time in Patent Office: 796 Days
• Field of Search: 607/105, 607/104, 607/110, 607/112, 607/113, 607/96, 128/898
• US Class Current: 607/104
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00084 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0054 with a closed fluid circuit, e.g. hot water
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0056 for cooling
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0075 using a Peltier element, e.g. near the spot to be heated or cooled
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/101 for cooling organs in the body before or during surgery
• 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

A method and device for thermally affecting tissue. The device having a thermal member and a contact probe in thermal communication with the thermal member. The device configured to provide a way to contact tissue with the contact probe and to thereby impart a thermal change to the tissue.

Claims

1. A device for thermally affecting tissue of a patient, comprising:

a housing, the housing defining an interior volume and being at least partially insertable into an exterior opening in the patient;

a thermal member having a thermal input side and a thermal output side, at least a portion of the thermal member being positioned within the interior volume, one of the thermal input side and the thermal output side being arrangable to provide a temperature different than the other of the thermal input side and the thermal output side; and

a plurality of contact probes in thermal communication with the thermal input side configured to impart a thermal change to the tissue.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the thermal member is a peltier effect cooler.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the contact probe is manufactured of resilient, thermally conductive material.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the resilient, thermally conductive material is selected from the group consisting of titanium, stainless steel, aluminum, steel, and NiTi thereof.

5. A device for thermally affecting tissue of a patient, comprising:

a housing, the housing defining an interior volume;

a thermal fluid input, the thermal fluid input being in fluid communication with the interior volume and configured to introduce a thermal fluid into the interior volume;

a thermal fluid output, the thermal fluid output being in fluid communication with the interior volume and configured to remove the thermal fluid from the interior volume; and

a probe, the probe being configured to be in direct thermal communication with the introduced thermal fluid.

6. A method of treatment of brain tissue comprising the steps of:

creating an opening in a skull;

inserting a plurality of contact probes into the skull and contacting the brain tissue to be treated; and

affecting a temperature change of the contact probe and thereby affecting a temperature change of the brain tissue.

7. A method of thermally affecting brain tissue of a patient, comprising:

inserting a contact probe into a brain cavity,

disposing the contact probe proximate to one or more cerebrospinal fluid spaces of the brain of said patient; and

affecting a temperature charge of the contact probe and thereby thermally affecting cerebrospinal fluid in the one or more cerebrospinal fluid spaces to induce a temperature change of said brain tissue.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the one or more cerebrospinal fluid spaces is a lateral ventricle.

9. The method of claim 7,

wherein the contact probe is coupled to a thermal transfer device comprising:

a housing, the housing defining an interior volume;

a thermal fluid input, the thermal fluid input being in fluid communication with the interior volume and configured to introduce a thermal fluid into the interior volume;

a thermal fluid output, the thermal fluid output being in fluid communication with the interior volume and configured to remove the thermal fluid from the interior volume; and

wherein the contact probe is configured to be thermally affected by the thermal fluid in the interior.

10. The method of claim 7,

wherein the contact probe is coupled to a thermal transfer device comprising:

a housing, the housing defining an interior volume and being at least partially insertable into an exterior opening in the patient;

a thermal member having a thermal input side and a thermal output side, at least a portion of the thermal member being positioned within the interior volume, one of the thermal input side and the thermal output side being arrangable to provide a temperature different than the other of the thermal input side and the thermal output side; and

wherein the contact probe is in thermal communication with the thermal input side configured to impart a thermal change to the tissue.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the thermal member is a peltier effect cooler.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

creating an opening in a skull of the patient to access the brain cavity.

13. A method of selectively cooling a first brain tissue region in a patient, comprising:

inserting a contact probe into the brain proximate the first brain tissue region,

disposing the contact probe to contact cerebral spinal fluid in one or more cerebrospinal fluid spaces,

cooling the cerebral spinal fluid in the one or more cerebrospinal fluid spaces to induce cooling of the first brain tissue region.

14. The method of claim 13,

wherein the one or more cerebrospinal fluid spaces includes one of a lateral ventricle of the brain.

15. The method of claim 13,

wherein the contact probe is coupled to a thermal transfer device comprising:

a housing, the housing defining an interior volume;

a thermal fluid input, the thermal fluid input being in fluid communication with the interior volume and configured to introduce a thermal fluid into the interior volume;

a thermal fluid output, the thermal fluid output being in fluid communication with the interior volume and configured to remove the thermal fluid from the interior volume; and

wherein the contact probe is configured to be thermally affected by the thermal fluid in the interior.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

creating one or more openings in a skull of the patient, and inserting the contact probe through the one or more openings.