Method and apparatus for controlling a patient's body temperature by in situ blood temperature modification
First Claim
1. A heat exchange catheter system comprising:
- an elongate, flexible catheter body a distal portion of which is insertable into the vasculature of a patient;
a heat transfer surface disposed on less than the entirety of the distal insertable portion of the catheter body, said heat transfer surface comprising metal and having different thermal conductivity than the remainder of the distal insertable portion of the catheter body; and
apparatus for alternately warming or cooling the heat transfer surface;
wherein the catheter body has a proximal end, a distal end, a heat exchange inflow lumen through which heat exchange fluid is deliverable from the proximal end of the catheter body to the area of the catheter body where the heat exchange surface is located and a heat exchange return lumen through which said heat exchange fluid may flow from the area of the catheter body where the heat exchange surface is located and back out of the proximal end of the catheter body.
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Abstract
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for controlling the internal body temperature of a patient. According to the present invention, a catheter is inserted through an incision into a large blood vessel of a patient. By selectively heating or cooling a portion of the catheter lying within the blood vessel, heat may be transferred to or from blood flowing within the vessel and the patient'"'"'s body temperature may thereby be increased or decreased as desired. The invention will find use in treating undesirable conditions of hypothermia and hyperthermia, or for inducing a condition of artificial hypothermia when desired. The method and system further provide for the cooling of initially hypothermic patients whose blood or body temperature has been warmed above the desired target level and the warming of initially hyperthermic patients whose blood or body temperature has been cooled below the desired target temperature.
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Citations
35 Claims
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1. A heat exchange catheter system comprising:
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an elongate, flexible catheter body a distal portion of which is insertable into the vasculature of a patient; a heat transfer surface disposed on less than the entirety of the distal insertable portion of the catheter body, said heat transfer surface comprising metal and having different thermal conductivity than the remainder of the distal insertable portion of the catheter body; and apparatus for alternately warming or cooling the heat transfer surface; wherein the catheter body has a proximal end, a distal end, a heat exchange inflow lumen through which heat exchange fluid is deliverable from the proximal end of the catheter body to the area of the catheter body where the heat exchange surface is located and a heat exchange return lumen through which said heat exchange fluid may flow from the area of the catheter body where the heat exchange surface is located and back out of the proximal end of the catheter body. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A heat exchange catheter system comprising:
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an elongate, flexible catheter body a distal portion of which is insertable into the vasculature of a patient; a heat transfer surface disposed on less than the entirety of the distal insertable portion of the catheter body, said heat transfer surface comprising metal and having different thermal conductivity than the remainder of the distal insertable portion of the catheter body; apparatus for alternately warming or cooling the heat transfer surface; and a control unit which controls the temperature of the heat transfer surface based on at least one measured temperature selected from the group consisting of;
i) blood temperature and ii) body temperature;wherein the catheter body has at least two lumens defined in fluid communication with one another to allow for the circulation of fluid through the catheter and wherein the control unit operates to circulate heated or cooled heat exchange fluid through those lumens. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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Specification