Intravascular heat exchange catheter with non-round coiled coolant path

Abstract

A catheter has a hollow conduit through which working fluid from a heat exchange system flows. The conduit in turn is configured to extend along a longitudinal central axis in a continuously varying non-constant azimuthal orientation so that it defines a non-round enclosed passageway through which blood can flow to exchange heat through a wall of the conduit with the working fluid flowing within the conduit.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A catheter, comprising:
 a proximal segment configured to receive and return working fluid to a heat exchange system through supply and return lumens, respectively; and   a distal segment communicating with the proximal segment and configured to circulate working fluid therewith, the distal segment defining a supply conduit and a return conduit, at least one of the conduits configured for conveying all fluid flowing therethrough along a non-round coiled path.   
     
     
         2 . The catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the supply conduit is configured for conveying all fluid flowing therethrough along a non-round coiled path. 
     
     
         3 . The catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the return conduit is configured for conveying all fluid flowing therethrough along a non-round coiled path. 
     
     
         4 . The catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the non-round path defines a rectangle when viewed in transverse. 
     
     
         5 . The catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the non-round path defines a triangle when viewed in transverse. 
     
     
         6 . The catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the non-round path is established by intravascular balloon material. 
     
     
         7 . The catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the coiled path extends continuously along a longitudinal axis albeit with varying angles of extension. 
     
     
         8 . A catheter comprising:
 a hollow conduit through which working fluid from a heat exchange system can flow, the conduit being configured to extend along a longitudinal central axis in a continuously varying non-constant azimuthal orientation so that it defines a non-round enclosed passageway through which blood can flow to exchange heat through a wall of the conduit with the working fluid flowing within the conduit.   
     
     
         9 . The catheter of  claim 8 , wherein the conduit is a shaped conduit and establishes a portion of a distal segment of a catheter which communicates with a proximal segment and which is configured to circulate working fluid therewith, the distal segment defining a supply conduit and a return conduit, at least one of the supply or return conduits being established by the shaped conduit. 
     
     
         10 . The catheter of  claim 9 , wherein the supply conduit is established by the shaped conduit. 
     
     
         11 . The catheter of  claim 9 , wherein the return conduit is established by the shaped conduit. 
     
     
         12 . The catheter of  claim 9 , wherein the shaped conduit defines a rectangle when viewed in transverse. 
     
     
         13 . The catheter of  claim 9 , wherein the shaped conduit defines a triangle when viewed in transverse. 
     
     
         14 . The catheter of  claim 9 , wherein the shaped conduit is established by intravascular balloon material. 
     
     
         15 . The catheter of  claim 9 , wherein the shaped conduit extends continuously along a longitudinal axis albeit with varying angles of extension. 
     
     
         16 . A catheter comprising:
 a hollow heat exchange region through which working fluid can flow to exchange heat with blood flowing past the heat exchange region, the heat exchange region defining an elongated conduit extending along an axial axis of the catheter to define a central blood passageway bordered by the conduit, blood being flowable through the blood passageway when the catheter is positioned in a patient's blood vessel, tangent lines at various points on the conduit not establishing a constant angle relative to a longitudinal axis defined by the conduit.   
     
     
         17 . The catheter of  claim 16 , wherein a ratio of curvature of the conduit to torsion is not constant along a length of the conduit, but constantly varies along the length of the conduit. 
     
     
         18 . The catheter of  claim 16 , wherein the conduit defines a rectangle when viewed in transverse. 
     
     
         19 . The catheter of  claim 16 , wherein the conduit defines a triangle when viewed in transverse. 
     
     
         20 . The catheter of  claim 16 , wherein the conduit is established by intravascular balloon material.