Method and apparatus for spinal cooling

• US 9,180,042 B2
• Filed: 09/19/2007
• Issued: 11/10/2015
• 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): Smith, Kaitlyn
• Application Number:
  US11/857,586
• Publication Number:
  US 20080077088A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,974 Days
• Field of Search: 607/105
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 or into the vasculature, and then heat exchange fluid is circulated through the catheter to cool the spinal column.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving instructions to advance a closed loop heat exchange catheter into the retroperitoneal space of a patient;

receiving instructions to circulate heat exchange fluid through the catheter while the catheter is disposed in the retroperitoneal space distanced from the spine without touching the spinal column; and

using the catheter according to the instructions to treat the patient.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising advancing the catheter percutaneously into the patient.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the heat exchange fluid is coder than the patient.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the catheter is closed loop in that heat exchange fluid does not exit the catheter into the patient.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the catheter has at least one heat exchange element that is spiral shaped.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the catheter has at least one heat exchange element that is metal.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the catheter has at least one heat exchange element that is a balloon.

8. A method for treating a patient for a hypoxia condition of the spine, comprising:

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

circulating heat exchange fluid through the catheter to cool the spinal column and thereby relieve the patient of at least some deleterious effects of spinal hypoxia while the catheter is disposed in the retroperitoneal space distanced from the spine without touching the spinal column.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the hypoxia condition is caused by cardiac arrest.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the hypoxia condition is caused by myocardial infarction.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the hypoxia condition is caused by stroke.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the hypoxia condition is caused by trauma.