Indwelling heat exchange catheter and method of using same

摘要

A catheter is adapted to exchange heat with a body fluid, such as blood, flowing in a body conduit, such as a blood vessel. The catheter includes a shaft with a heat exchange region disposed at its distal end. This region may include hollow fibers which are adapted to receive a remotely cooled heat exchange fluid preferably flowing in a direction counter to that of the body fluid. The hollow fibers enhance the surface area of contact, as well as the mixing of both the heat exchange fluid and the body fluid. The catheter can be positioned to produce hypothermia in a selective area of the body or alternatively positioned to systemically cool the entire body system.

主权项

1. A heat exchange catheter comprising:
at least one lumen configured for fluid communication with at least first and second heat exchange elements for circulating heat exchange fluid through the heat exchange elements to exchange heat with blood of a patient when at least a portion of the catheter is positioned in a bloodstream of the patient without the heat exchange fluid entering the bloodstream of a patient; wherein each of the first and second heat exchange elements are externally helically fluted along at least a respective segment thereof, wherein body fluid outward of a heat exchange element cannot flow to a long axis defined by a fluted configuration of the heat exchange element; wherein the first and second heat exchange elements are separated from each other by a flex region that is not externally fluted in a spiral configuration on a segment thereof.