Selective brain and spinal cord hypothermia method and apparatus
First Claim
1. A method for selectively cooling the central nervous system comprising the steps of:
- A. providing a heat exchange catheter device which comprises;
i) an elongate flexible catheter with a proximal and distal end, ii) two lumens which communicate at the distal end through which a heat exchange fluid is circulated, iii) a heat exchanger located at the distal end of the catheter allowing transfer of heat between the said heat exchanger and its surroundings;
B. inserting the catheter into a cerebrospinal fluid or epidural space;
C. circulating the heat exchange fluid with temperature below the body temperature through the catheter, thereby transferring heat from the cerebrospinal fluid to the cool heat exchange fluid and subsequently cooling the central nervous system.
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Abstract
The invention provides a method and apparatus for performing selective hypothermia to the brain and spinal cord for injury protection without the need for systemic cooling. A flexible catheter is inserted into the cerebral lateral ventricle or spinal subdural space. The catheter has three lumens with a heat transfer element. Two lumens of the catheter circulate a coolant and communicate at the distal heat transfer element for transfer of heat from the cerebrospinal fluid. The third lumen of the catheter allows for drainage of the cerebrospinal fluid. In another embodiment, the catheter has two lumens that circulate the coolant and communicate at the distal heat tranfer element. In another embodiment, a larger surface area cooling template is placed in the subdural space of the brain or the subdural/epidural space of the spine. The template has a conduit that circulates a coolant through the lumen of the template thereby cooling the surrounding brain or spinal cord.
75 Citations
34 Claims
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1. A method for selectively cooling the central nervous system comprising the steps of:
- A. providing a heat exchange catheter device which comprises;
i) an elongate flexible catheter with a proximal and distal end, ii) two lumens which communicate at the distal end through which a heat exchange fluid is circulated, iii) a heat exchanger located at the distal end of the catheter allowing transfer of heat between the said heat exchanger and its surroundings;
B. inserting the catheter into a cerebrospinal fluid or epidural space;
C. circulating the heat exchange fluid with temperature below the body temperature through the catheter, thereby transferring heat from the cerebrospinal fluid to the cool heat exchange fluid and subsequently cooling the central nervous system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
- A. providing a heat exchange catheter device which comprises;
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14. A method for selectively cooling the central nervous system comprising the steps of:
- A. providing a flexible elongated catheter with three lumens and a distal heat conductive element with one of the lumens communicating with the external space through one or more ports at the distal end;
B. inserting the catheter into the cerebrospinal fluid space of the brain or the subdural space of the spine;
C. circulating a cool fluid through one of the catheter lumens which communicates with a second lumen at the distal heat conductive element of the catheter thereby cooling the cerebrospinal fluid without any exposure of the circulating fluid to the external environment;
D. the third lumen of the catheter providing cerebrospinal fluid drainage through said ports communicating from the lumen to the external environment at the distal end of the catheter. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
- A. providing a flexible elongated catheter with three lumens and a distal heat conductive element with one of the lumens communicating with the external space through one or more ports at the distal end;
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25. A method for selectively cooling the central nervous system comprising the steps of:
- A. providing a flexible heat exchange template of varying length and width with small thickness and a proximal and distal end;
B. proximal end of the said heat exchange template consisting of a conduit that allows heat exchange fluid to circulate in the template lumen;
C. inserting the template into the subdural or epidural space of the brain or spinal cord;
D. circulating the heat exchange fluid with temperature below the body temperature through the template, thereby transferring heat from the nervous system to the cool heat exchange fluid;
E. returning the heat exchange fluid through the proximal conduit to an external cooler. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
- A. providing a flexible heat exchange template of varying length and width with small thickness and a proximal and distal end;
Specification