Abstract: A catheter and a method of using the catheter are disclosed that serve to create an efficient and rapid controlled manner of regulating a patient's body temperature. The catheter is a heat exchange catheter insertable into a blood vessel of a patient, circulating a heat exchange fluid therein, and including a spiral-shaped inflatable balloon that mixes laminar layers of the heat exchange fluid flowing inside the balloon.

Abstract: A method for treating cardiac arrest includes defibrillating the patient and/or ventilating the patient and/or administering a cardiac arrest drug such as epinephrine to resuscitate the patient, and then cooling the patient's body temperature using one or more cooling catheters positioned in the central venous system of the patient and/or particularly cooling the patient's brain temperature using a catheter advanced into the aortic arch or into the carotid artery whereby a bolus of cold saline solution is introduced into the blood supplied to the brain to lower the brain temperature quickly, and further cooling or maintaining the brain temperature at a desired level by pumping coolant in a closed circuit formation between the catheter and the coolant source to remove heat from the blood supplied to the patient's brain.

Abstract: A method for treating cardiac arrest includes defibrillating the patient and/or ventilating the patient and/or administering a cardiac arrest drug such as epinephrine to resuscitate the patient, and then cooling the patient using one or more cooling catheter positioned in the central venous system of the patient.

Abstract: A catheter adapted for heat exchange within a body includes a shaft with at least one input lumen and at least one output lumen in fluid communication with one or more elongate elements which each include a heat transfer lumen. The elongate element is arranged in one or more lengths which include heat transfer lumens being folded into first elongate substantially parallel and juxtaposed portions arranged either in series or parallel or both with adjacent wings. The juxtaposed portions are arranged together in planes extending radially from the center axis of the assembly and are equiangularly placed about that axis. The ends of the portions may be bonded together to create the radial plane. An infusion lumen may extend through the heat transfer assembly with an open end for infusing into the blood stream or sampling therefrom.

Abstract: An over-the-wire heat exchange catheter includes a heat transfer extension having at least one supply lumen and at least one return lumen for circulating heat exchange fluid within the catheter. The catheter has a distal tip and valve attached to the distal tip. The valve automatically seals the distal tip around a guidewire or a mandrel to seal the heat transfer extension and inhibit escape of the heat transfer fluid from the heat transfer extension.

Abstract: A heat exchange catheter has a catheter body with a working fluid supply lumen extending therethrough, and terminating in a helical heat exchange tube that exits the body and extends proximally back along the catheter body. Working fluid flows through the heat exchange tube to exchange heat with the central venous system of a patient when the catheter body is properly placed in the patient.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A method of regulating the temperature of a patient by inserting a heat exchange catheter into a colon of a patient. The heat exchange catheter is inflated with a heat exchange fluid from a temperature control unit wherein the heat exchange fluid is not infused into the patient. The heat exchange catheter has a catheter body with an inflow lumen, an outflow lumen, and an irrigation lumen for irrigating the colon.

Abstract: A heat exchange catheter having an open core includes a catheter body for use in the central vasculature of a patient. The catheter body having a balloon with at least one heat exchange lumen for exchanging heat with flowing blood. The balloon inflates from a collapsed configuration to an inflated configuration. In the inflated configuration the balloon facilitates the flow of heat exchange fluid through the heat exchange lumen, which wraps in a helical pattern to define the open core and to enable blood to flow through the open core during use of the catheter. The open core defines an inside and an outside, the heat exchange lumen has non-contiguous helical winds to allow flowing blood to mix between the inside of the open core and the outside of the open core.

Abstract: A intravascular heat exchange catheter includes a catheter body having a proximal end connectable with a heat exchange fluid source and a distal end insertable into the vasculature of a patient to facilitate heat transfer with flowing blood. The core has at least one heat exchange fluid lumen for circulating heat exchange fluid within the catheter body. A heat exchanger, e.g. a balloon surrounds a portion of the proximal end of the catheter. The heat exchanger is in fluid communication with the heat exchange fluid lumen for enabling heat exchange fluid from the heat exchange fluid source to circulate through the core and the balloon. A wire, or similar retainer, wraps around the balloon to seal the balloon against the core, forming at least two heat exchange lumens between the balloon and the core.

Abstract: A kit for establishing and maintaining hypothermia in a patient for neurotherapeutic purposes includes a high cooling capacity catheter that is advanced into the patient's central venous system to quickly cool the patient to, e.g., 32° C. or so. Once hypothermia has been established, the high capacity catheter is removed and replaced with a lower cooling capacity catheter which maintains a desired reduced temperature. The lower capacity catheter advantageously can be configured as a central venous catheter for permitting the catheter to be used for multiple functions. Alternatively, the high cooling capacity catheter can be used to attenuate a fever and lower the patient's body temperature to normal, with the lower capacity catheter being used to maintain normal body temperature.

Abstract: A kit for establishing and maintaining hypothermia in a patient for neurotherapeutic purposes includes a high cooling capacity catheter that is advanced into the patient's central venous system to quickly cool the patient to, e.g., 32° C. or so. Once hypothermia has been established, the high capacity catheter is removed and replaced with a lower cooling capacity catheter which maintains a desired reduced temperature. The lower capacity catheter advantageously can be configured as a central venous catheter for permitting the catheter to be used for multiple functions. Alternatively, the high cooling capacity catheter can be used to attenuate a fever and lower the patient's body temperature to normal, with the lower capacity catheter being used to maintain normal body temperature.

Abstract: A method for treating cardiac arrest includes defibrillating the patient and/or ventilating the patient and/or administering a cardiac arrest drug such as epinephrine to resuscitate the patient, and then cooling the patient using one or more cooling catheter positioned in the central venous system of the patient.

Abstract: A kit for establishing and maintaining hypothermia in a patient for neurotherapeutic purposes includes a high cooling capacity catheter that is advanced into the patient's central venous system to quickly cool the patient to, e.g., 32° C. or so. Once hypothermia has been established, the high capacity catheter is removed and replaced with a lower cooling capacity catheter which maintains a desired reduced temperature. The lower capacity catheter advantageously can be configured as a central venous catheter for permitting the catheter to be used for multiple functions. Alternatively, the high cooling capacity catheter can be used to attenuate a fever and lower the patient's body temperature to normal, with the lower capacity catheter being used to maintain normal body temperature.

Abstract: A system for exchanging heat with the body of a patient for cooling or warming the patient provides for automatic temperature control in accordance with the monitored temperature of the patient. The system comprises a temperature control module and temperature probes for making body core temperature measurements. The body core temperature measurements are used to control the temperature of fluid circulating within the fluid circuit.

Abstract: A catheter using multiple hollow fibers to carry a heating/cooling fluid employs fiber spreading features to improve heat transfer and help prevent clotting of body fluids within which the catheter is immersed. The catheter includes a length of outer tube surrounding an inner tube. The inner tube conveys fluids in one direction, and the passageway between inner and outer tubes conveys fluids in the opposite direction. The inner and outer tubes have proximal distal ends. The distal end is closed, but the proximal end is open to permit introduction of a heating or cooling fluid into the inner tube, and withdrawal of the fluid from the passageway between the inner and outer tubes. At the tubes' distal end resides a proximal fluid transfer housing coupled to multiple hollow heat exchange fibers. The distal ends of these fibers may be commonly connected to a distal fluid transfer housing and optional reservoir, which cooperatively return fluid to the passageway between inner and outer tubes.

Abstract: A heat exchange catheter has a catheter body with an inflow lumen, an outflow lumen, and an infusion lumen. A first heat exchange balloon helically wraps around at least a portion of the catheter body in fluid communication with the inflow lumen. A second heat exchange balloon helically wraps around at least a portion of the catheter body in fluid communication with the outflow lumen. The first and second balloons form a gap there between to facilitate infusion of fluid into the blood stream of the patient via an infusion port formed within the gap.

Abstract: A machine-driven automatic fever abatement system treats or prevents fever in hospital patients by administering medication, coolant, or other antipyretic means. The system includes a path, a flow device, a source of treatment substance, fever-characteristic sensors, and a controller. The path may be an open-ended structure, such as a tube, or a closed-ended structure such as a catheter with a sealed, internal path. The path is coupled to one or more bodily sites of the patient. The path is coupled to the flow device, which is itself attached to the source. The source contains a treatment substance such as medication (in the case of an open-ended path) or a coolant (in the case of a closed-ended path). One or more fever characteristic sensors are attached to various sites on the patient, for sensing temperature, metabolic rate, and/or other fever-affected physiological properties.

Abstract: A heat exchanger to remove heat from coolant in a closed circuit cooling catheter includes two heat exchange stages. Each stage includes a heat exchange element, such as a group of hollow fibers, and a TEC array juxtaposed with the heat exchange element to remove heat from the element. The elements are in fluid series with each other and are separated from each other by a thermal barrier. A thermal interface can be provided between each element and its TEC array. In one embodiment, the thermal interface is a gel layer. In another embodiment, the thermal interface is an ethylene glycol bath.

Abstract: A method for treating cardiac arrest includes defibrillating the patient and/or ventilating the patient and/or administering a cardiac arrest drug such as epinephrine to resuscitate the patient, and then cooling the patient using one or more cooling catheter positioned in the central venous system of the patient.