SYSTEM FOR CONTROL OF A PATIENT'S BODY TEMPERATURE BY WAY OF A TRANSLUMINALLY INSERTABLE HEAT EXCHANGE CATHETER

摘要

A programmable controller for controlling the temperature and flow of a thermal exchange fluid for circulation through a heat exchange catheter comprising a fluid circuit and, a heat exchange catheter which is insertable within a patient. The heat exchange catheter is configured to heat or cool blood flowing past the catheter, the heat exchange catheter is in removable fluid communication with and is part of the fluid circuit. The programmable controller also includes a fluid temperature altering means for altering the temperature of a fluid circulating through the fluid circuit, an external heat exchanger in removable fluid communication with fluid circuit, an input for receiving information from a sensor and a processor in communication with the fluid temperature altering means and the input. The processor is programmable to control the fluid temperature altering means in response to information communicated by the input to control the temperature of the fluid circulating through the fluid circuit. In one form of the apparatus the sensor is selected from a group consisting of a temperature sensor, a flow rate sensor, a pressure sensor, a bubble sensor and a level sensor.