Multiple lumen heat exchange catheters

Abstract

Catheter devices and methods for intravascular heating and/or cooling of human or veterinary patients. The catheter devices generally comprise catheters having inflow and outflow lumens and at least one curvilinear balloon connected to the inflow and outflow lumens such that heat exchange fluid may be circulated through the balloon(s). The catheter is inserted into the vasculature and heated or cooled fluid is circulated through the balloon(s) to heat or cool blood flowing in heat-exchange proximity to the balloon(s), thereby effecting heating or cooling of all or a portion of the patient's body.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for controlling the temperature of at least a portion of the body of a human or animal subject, said method comprising the steps of:
 A) obtaining a heat exchange catheter syste that comprises a heat exchange catheter and a controller, wherein:
 the heat exchange catheter comprises an elongate, flexible catheter having an inflow lumen and an outflow lumen and at least one heat exchanger having first and second ends, the inflow lumen of the catheter being connected to the first end of the heat exchanger and the outflow lumen being connected to second end of the heat exchanger such that heat exchange fluid may be circulated into the first end of the heat exchanger, through the heat exchanger and out of the second end of the heat exchanger; and 
 the controller receives i) a target temperature input and ii) a sensed subject body temperature input and causes heated or cooled fluid to circulate into the first end of the heat exchanger, through the heat exchanger and out of the second end of the heat exchanger, to warm or cool the sensed subject body temperature as needed to cause the sensed subject body temperature to be approximately the same as the target temperature; 
   B) inserting the heat exchange catheter into the vasculature of the patent and positioning the heat exchanger within a blood vessel through which blood is flowing such that the heated or cooled fluid will circulate through the heat exchanger in a direction opposite the direction in which blood flows through the blood vessel;   C) causing a temperature sensor to sense the temperature of at least a portion of the subject's body and to communicate a sensed subject body temperature input to the controller;   D) inputting a target temperature to the controller; and   E) allowing the controller to circulate heated or cooled fluid through the heat exchanger in a direction opposite the direction in which blood flows through the blood vessel to thereby warm or cool the sensed subject body temperature as needed to cause the sensed subject body temperature to be approximately the same as the target temperature;   
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the controller is adapted to receive sensed subject body temperature inputs from first and second temperature sensors and wherein Step C comprises causing first and second temperature sensors to sense the temperature of at least a portion of the subject's body and to communicate first and second sensed subject body temperature inputs to the controller. 
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the temperature sensor is selected from the group consisting of: tympanic temperature probes, esophageal probes, rectal probes, temperature probes for measuring the temperature of the patient's blood, myocardial temperature probes, probes that measure core body temperature and skin temperature probes. 
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the heat exchanger has a diameter of 9 French or less, at least during insertion in Step B. 
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the heat exchange catheter further comprises imageable markers useable to ascertain the location of the heat exchanger within the subject's body and wherein the method further comprises the step of:
 imaging the imageable markers to ascertain the location of the heat exchanger within the subject's body. 
 
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the target temperature is below normothermia and the method is carried out to cause the sensed subject body temperature to be hypothermic. 
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the subject is initially hyperthermic and the method is carried out to cause the sensed subject body temperature to be approximately normothermic. 
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the subject is initially hypothermic and the method is carried out to cause the sensed subject body temperature to be approximately normothermic. 
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the heat exchanger has an outer surface wherein blood flow channels are formed. 
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 9  wherein helical blood flow channels are formed in the outer surface of the heat exchanger.