Abstract: A method for detecting a quantitative measure of a physiologic state of a human myocardium or coronary artery. Implementations of the method detect the extent of change of myocardial electrical impedance from a mean baseline value to provide diagnosis of the extent of ischemia, stenosis, tissue rejection, and reperfusion and the effectiveness of cardioplegia and ischemia pre-conditioning as well as the general effectiveness of coronary bypass surgery as measured by post-operative reperfusion. Electrodes are attached to the myocardium, baseline measurements of the mean myocardial electrical impedance are stored and the variance of the myocardial electrical impedance and a baseline value of mean myocardial electrical impedance are computed from the baseline measurements and stored. Mean myocardial electrical impedance values are periodically measured between each electrode pair over an interval of time and stored.

Abstract: A non-invasive method and apparatus for at least partially occluding the descending aorta of a patient and for manipulating core and cerebral temperature includes positioning an elongated tubular member which may have a moveable surface through the esophagus and displacing the moveable surface thereby applying a force posteriorly in the direction of the patient's descending aorta sufficient to partially or substantially completely occlude the descending aorta. The tubular member may include a heat exchange surface and a heat transfer mechanism for transferring heat to the heat transfer surface or for transferring heat from the heat transfer surface in order to modify the temperature of a portion of the patient.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining the metabolic state of the myocardium of a subject in ventricular fibrillation or asystole and/or for guiding therapeutic interventions. Electrocardiogram signals of the subject's heart are transformed to a frequency domain power spectrum, and at least one frequency parameter is monitored and processed to a value predictive of a clinically relevant cardiac arrest outcome. In the preferred embodiment, centroid frequency and/or peak power frequency of the power spectrum are monitored.

Abstract: An apparatus for aiding in the treatment of cardiac arrest patients which includes a flexible tube having an elongated bladder attached between its opposite ends and a stomach bladder attached to its distal end. Each bladder has a conductive portion which serves as an electrode. Wires are embedded in the sidewall of the tube and connected to each electrode. Passageways formed in the sidewall of the tube and fluid-conveying tubes connected thereto form a fluid path through which a saline solution or a gas passes to fill the bladders. The tube is positioned so that the stomach bladder lies in the fundus of the stomach and the esophageal bladder lies in the posterior to the heart. The stomach bladder is filled and moderate countertraction is applied. Then the esophageal bladder is filled. The esophageal bladder serves as a platform by expanding and hardening the esophagus behind the heart. The heart is then compressed between the sternum and the hardened esophageal bladder, thus enhancing artificial circulation.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining the metabolic state of the myocardium of a subject in ventricular fibrillation or asystole and/or for guiding therapeutic interventions. Electrocardiogram signals of the subject's heart are transformed to a frequency domain power spectrum, and at least one frequency parameter is monitored and processed to a value predictive of a clinically relevant cardiac arrest outcome. In the preferred embodiment, centroid frequency and/or peak power frequency of the power spectrum are monitored.

Abstract: A method of non-invasively occluding the descending thoracic aorta to a desired extent in order to enhance cerebral and myocardial perfusion or the like, and/or of manipulating core and cerebral temperature of a patient, wherein a device is extended into the patient's esophagus and manipulated to selectively displace a wall of the esophagus toward the descending thoracic aorta to thereby at least partially occlude the latter, and/or to exchange heat between a device positioned in the patient's esophagus and a proximately located thoracic vessel in order to increase or decrease the temperature of blood flowing in such vessel.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for treating patients suffering from one or more of the conditions of cardiac arrest, shock, respiratory failure, hypothermia, hyperthermia and head injury. Chest tubes are inserted through respective holes in each hemithorax of the patient and attached to a gas source and an exhaust pump with connections and valves for alternately inflating and deflating a patient's thoracic cavity with a gas. A gas regulator, including heat exchanger, is interposed between the gas source and the tubes for warming or cooling the gas, and an electrode is mounted on the tubes and connected through a wire to electronic medical equipment. Collapsed seals are formed annularly around the chest tube and expanded after insertion to form a gas seal between the tube and the chest wall. The seal may be a bladder expanded by filling with a fluid or a wire mesh receptacle which is mechanically expanded and can also serve as the electrode.

Abstract: A method for measuring the complex impedance spectrum of a portion of the myocardium by placing two electrodes on a portion of the myocardium and applying a current pulse to the electrodes to generate a voltage response between the electrodes. Both the current pulse and voltage response are sampled and digitized and then a Fast fourier transform is taken of both the current pulse and the voltage response to obtain a complex current pulse spectrum and a complex voltage response spectrum. Next, the complex voltage response spectrum is divided by the complex current pulse spectrum to obtain the complex impedance spectrum.