DEVICES, SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR RAPID ENDOVASCULAR COOLING

摘要

Devices and methods for warming or cooling blood flowing through the vasculature of a human or animal subject so as to alter or control the temperature of all or part of the subject's body. Heat exchangers are positioned within the subject's vasculature and heated or cooled heat exchange fluid is circulated through the heat exchanger. For certain therapeutic applications, the heat exchanger and associated elements of the system have sufficient power to lower the subject's body temperature by at least 3 degrees C. in less than 30 minutes.

主权项

1. A heat exchange catheter system useable to cool blood flowing through the vasculature of a human or animal subject, said system comprising:
a heat exchange catheter comprising a catheter body having a proximal end, a distal end, a first lumen, a second lumen and a heat exchange balloon connected to said first lumen and said second lumen, said heat exchange balloon having a collapsed configuration of a first diameter D1 and an inflated configuration of a second diameter D2; a fluid cooling apparatus connected to the first and second lumens, said fluid cooling apparatus being useable to cool a thermal exchange fluid and to circulate said thermal exchange fluid through the first lumen, through the balloon and through the second lumen back to the fluid cooling apparatus; wherein the catheter body, fluid cooling apparatus and heat exchange balloon are sized, configured and constructed to render the system capable of cooling the subject's core body temperature to a core body temperature at or below about 34 degrees C. in less than thirty minutes.