Isolated selective organ cooling method

• US 6,740,109 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2002
• Issued: 05/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Zoll Circulation Incorporated (Asahi Kasei Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Innercool therapies Incorporated (Taxus Cardium Pharmaceuticals Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Dobak, John D. III
• Primary Examiner(s): ROLLINS, ROSILAND STACIE
• Application Number:
  US10/322,337
• Publication Number:
  US 20030139791A1
• Time in Patent Office: 526 Days
• Field of Search: 607/96, 607/105, 607/106, 607/113, 604/113, 128/898
• US Class Current: 607/106
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0212 using an instrument inserted into a body lumen, e.g. catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0262 using a circulating cryogenic fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0056 for cooling
• 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

Abstract

A selective organ cooling method using a separate warming device for preventing secondary cooling which can result from cooling the selected organ. The cooling device applies cooling to the blood flowing in the feeder artery of the selected organ, while the body temperature control device warms the whole body by warming blood returning to the heart from only the selected organ, via a vein.

Claims

1. A method for selectively controlling the temperature of the brain of a patient, while preventing cooling of substantially any other part of the body of the patient, said method comprising:

providing a catheter having a cooling element attached to a distal end thereof;

inserting said catheter through the vascular system of the patient to place said cooling element in a carotid artery of the patient;

circulating fluid through said cooling element;

transferring heat from the blood in the carotid artery to said cooling element, to selectively cool the brain;

providing a warming device having at least one fluid heat exchanger;

placing said warming device on an external surface of the patient'"'"'s body to position said at least one fluid heat exchanger directly over at least one jugular vein of the patient; and

circulating heated fluid through said at least one heat exchanger to apply heat only to the tissues in the area of the at least one jugular vein, to prevent cooling of the remainder of the patient'"'"'s body, exclusive of the brain.

2. The method recited in claim 1, further comprising:

providing a neck brace as said warming device, said neck brace having at least one said fluid heat exchanger configured to apply heat only to said tissues in the area of the at least one jugular vein; and

circulating said heated fluid through said at least one fluid heat exchanger without venting said heated fluid to the atmosphere, to thereby apply only conductive heat to the tissues only in the area of the at least one jugular vein.

3. The method recited in claim 2, further comprising:

providing two said fluid heat exchangers, each of said two heat exchangers being configured to apply said conductive heat only to said selected portion of the patient'"'"'s neck adjacent to one of the two jugular veins; and

circulating said heated fluid to said two heat exchangers without venting said heated fluid to the atmosphere, to thereby apply only conductive heat to the tissues only in the area of each of the two jugular veins.