Method and apparatus for spinal cooling

• US 7,822,485 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2006
• Issued: 10/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Zoll Circulation Incorporated (Asahi Kasei Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Zoll Circulation Incorporated (Asahi Kasei Corporation)
• Inventors: Collins, Kenneth A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gibson; Roy D
• Assistant Examiner(s): SMITH, KAITLYN ELIZABETH
• Application Number:
  US11/527,332
• Publication Number:
  US 20080077206A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,492 Days
• Field of Search: 606/93, 607/105, 607/113, 607/117
• US Class Current: 607/117
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00084 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0056 for cooling
• 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

Abstract

A method for exchanging heat with a patient'"'"'s spinal column incident to spinal surgery or to relieve a patient for a hypoxia condition of the spine. A closed loop heat exchange catheter is percutaneously advanced into the retroperitoneal space of the patient, and then heat exchange fluid is circulated through the catheter to cool the spinal column.

Claims

1. A method for cooling at least a portion of a spinal column of a patient disposed in an operating room, comprising:

advancing a closed loop heat exchange catheter into the retroperitoneal space of the patient;

circulating heat exchange fluid through the catheter to cool the retroperitoneal space and thereby cool the spinal column; and

conducting spinal surgery on the patient.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the catheter is advanced percutaneously into the patient.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one heat exchange element of the catheter is positioned against the spinal column.