Portable, refrigerant-based apparatus and method for rapid systemic patient cooling
First Claim
1. A portable apparatus for circulating a cooled fluid through at least one interconnectable patient heat exchange device, comprising:
- a reservoir for containing a fluid;
a circulating pump, fluidly interconnected to said reservoir for portable movement therewith, for circulating said fluid;
a heat exchanger, fluidly interconnected with said circulating pump and said reservoir for portable movement therewith, for cooling said circulatable fluid;
a self-contained refrigerator, fluidly interconnected with said heat exchanger for portable movement therewith, for circulating a refrigerant through said heat exchanger to effect cooling of said circulatable fluid;
a power storage supply, electrically interconnected to said circulating pump and said refrigerator for portable movement therewith, for storing and providing electrical power to electrically power operation of said circulating pump and to electrically power operation of said refrigerator during stand-alone, independent operation of said portable apparatus, free from interconnection of said heat exchanger and said self-contained refrigerator of said portable apparatus with an external electrical energy source; and
,a patient heat exchange device for external patient contact and fluidly interconnectable to said circulating pump, wherein said fluid is circulatable therethrough by said circulating pump during said stand-alone, independent operation of said portable apparatus.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A portable patient cooling apparatus is provided that includes a self-contained refrigerator and on-board power storage supply for stand alone operation. The apparatus is interconnectable to one or more heat exchange devices (e.g. patient contact pads or intravascular catheters) through which a cooled fluid may be circulated for patient cooling. Such fluid may be liquid contained within a reservoir comprising the apparatus during periods of non-use. The apparatus preferably defines a total volume of less than about 0.04 m3, while having a total weight of less than about 15 kg to yield a total circulated fluid cooling capacity of at least 200 watts.
-
Citations
46 Claims
-
1. A portable apparatus for circulating a cooled fluid through at least one interconnectable patient heat exchange device, comprising:
-
a reservoir for containing a fluid; a circulating pump, fluidly interconnected to said reservoir for portable movement therewith, for circulating said fluid; a heat exchanger, fluidly interconnected with said circulating pump and said reservoir for portable movement therewith, for cooling said circulatable fluid; a self-contained refrigerator, fluidly interconnected with said heat exchanger for portable movement therewith, for circulating a refrigerant through said heat exchanger to effect cooling of said circulatable fluid; a power storage supply, electrically interconnected to said circulating pump and said refrigerator for portable movement therewith, for storing and providing electrical power to electrically power operation of said circulating pump and to electrically power operation of said refrigerator during stand-alone, independent operation of said portable apparatus, free from interconnection of said heat exchanger and said self-contained refrigerator of said portable apparatus with an external electrical energy source; and
,a patient heat exchange device for external patient contact and fluidly interconnectable to said circulating pump, wherein said fluid is circulatable therethrough by said circulating pump during said stand-alone, independent operation of said portable apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
-
-
12. A portable apparatus for circulating a cooled fluid through at least one interconnectable patient heat exchange pad, comprising:
-
a reservoir for containing a fluid; a circulating pump, fluidly interconnected to said reservoir for portable movement therewith, for circulating said fluid; a heat exchanger, fluidly interconnected with said circulating pump and said reservoir for portable movement therewith, for cooling said circulatable fluid; a self-contained refrigerator, fluidly interconnected with said heat exchanger for portable movement therewith, for circulating a refrigerant through said heat exchanger to effect cooling of said circulatable fluid; a power storage supply, electrically interconnected to said circulating pump and said refrigerator for portable movement therewith, for providing electrical power to electrically power operation of said circulating pump and to electrically power operation of said self-contained refrigerator during stand-alone, independent operation of said portable apparatus, free from interconnection of said heat exchanger and said self-contained refrigerator of said portable apparatus with an external electrical energy source; and
,a patient heat exchange pad fluidly interconnectable to the said circulating pump, wherein said fluid is circulatable through the patient heat exchange pad by said circulating pump during said stand-alone, independent operation, wherein said portable apparatus has a circulatable fluid cooling capacity of at least about 200 watts during said stand-alone, independent operation, and wherein said liquid is circulatable through said at least one patient heat exchange pad to cool a patient at a rate of between about 1.5 C/hr to 4.0 C/hr. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 44, 45, 46)
-
Specification