Method and apparatus for spinal cooling

Abstract

A method for exchanging heat with a patient's spinal column incident to spinal surgery or to relieve a patient for a hypoxia condition of the spine. A closed loop heat exchange catheter is percutaneously advanced into the retroperitoneal space of the patient or into the vasculature, and then heat exchange fluid is circulated through the catheter to cool the spinal column.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 receiving instructions to advance a heat exchange catheter into the retroperitoneal space of a patient;   receiving instructions to circulate fluid through the catheter while the catheter is disposed in the retroperitoneal space distanced from the spine without touching the spine; and   using the catheter according to the instructions to treat a patient.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising advancing the catheter percutaneously into the patient. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid is colder than the patient. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the catheter is closed loop in that fluid does not exit the catheter into the patient. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the catheter has at least one heat exchange element that is spiral shaped. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the catheter has at least one heat exchange element that is metal. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the catheter has at least one heat exchange element that is a balloon. 
     
     
         8 . A method comprising;
 advancing a heat exchange catheter into the retroperitoneal space of a patient; and   circulating heat exchange fluid through the catheter to cool the spinal column and thereby relieve the patient of at least some deleterious effects of spinal hypoxia while the catheter is disposed in the retroperitoneal space distanced front the spine without touching the spinal column.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the hypoxia condition is caused by cardiac arrest. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the hypoxia condition is caused by myocardial infarction. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the hypoxia condition is caused by stroke. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the hypoxia condition in caused, by trauma.