INDWELLING HEAT EXCHANGE HEAT PIPE 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 can be positioned to produce hypothermia in a selective area of the body without cooling the entire body system. It is of particular advantage in brain surgeries where stoke, trauma or cryogenic tumors can best be addressed under hypothermic conditions. Heat pipe technology can be used to form a heat pipe heat exchange catheter (10). The heat pipe heat exchange catheter includes metallic bellows (214) which allow for flexibility. The temperature control source (212) can be portable to enable the heat pipe heat exchange catheter to be used in the ambulatory environment.