High Efficiency Heat Exchange Catheters for Control of Patient Body Temperature

Abstract

Disclosure includes fluid-circulating heat exchange catheters, systems and related methods useable for controlling a patient's body temperature.

1 . A catheter device comprising:
 an elongate catheter having a proximal end, a distal end, at least one inflow lumen, at least one outflow lumen and a longitudinal axis;   a first tube having a proximal end and a distal end, said first tube being coiled in a series of elongated loops each of which has a length axis and a width axis; and   a second tube having a proximal end and a distal end, said second tube being coiled in a series of elongated loops each of which has a length axis and a width axis;   at least one elongated loop of the first tube being positioned so that it extends around a section of the catheter such that its length axis is transverse to the longitudinal axis of the catheter; and   at least one elongated loop of the second tube being positioned such that it extends around said section of the catheter with its length axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of the catheter and nonparallel to the length axis of said at least one elongated loop of the first tube;   wherein the first and second tubes are connected to the inflow and outflow lumens such that a fluid will circulate in the inflow lumen, through said first and second tubes and out of the outflow lumen, and wherein the first and second tubes improve the heat exchange efficiency of the catheter device.   
     
     
         2 . A catheter device according to  claim 1  wherein elongated loops have shapes selected from: rectangular, rounded-corner rectangular, oval, ovoid, triangle, and oblong polygonal. 
     
     
         3 . A catheter device according to  claim 1  wherein:
 a plurality of elongated loops of the first tube extend around said section of the catheter such that the length axis of each is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the catheter; and 
 a plurality of elongated loops of the second tube extend around said section of the catheter such that the length axis of each is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the catheter and nonparallel to the length axes of the elongated loops of the first tube. 
 
     
     
         4 . A catheter device according to  claim 3  wherein said plurality of elongated loops of the first tube comprise all elongated loops of the first tube and said plurality of elongated loops of the second tube comprise all elongated loops of the second tube. 
     
     
         5 . A catheter device according to  claim 3  wherein the elongated loops are in a row wherein elongated loops of the first tube alternate with the elongated loops of the second tube. 
     
     
         6 . A catheter device according to  claim 1  wherein the length axis of said at least one elongated loop of the second tube is substantially perpendicular to the length axis of said at least one elongated loop of the first tube. 
     
     
         7 . A catheter device according to  claim 1  wherein the elongated loops are configured such that when the catheter device is inserted into the vasculature of a patient, the elongated loops will cause blood to flow in a non-laminar or self-mixing manner 
     
     
         8 . A catheter device according to  claim 7  wherein the elongated loops are configured such that blood may flow through the elongate loops. 
     
     
         9 . A method for controlling a subject's body temperature using a catheter device according to  claim 1 , said method comprising the steps of:
 inserting the catheter into the subject's vasculature; and   causing warmed or cooled heat exchange fluid to circulate through the elongated loops thereby resulting in exchange of heat between blood flowing through the subject's vasculature and the heat exchange fluid circulating through the elongated loops.   
     
     
         10 . A catheter device comprising:
 an elongate catheter having a heat exchange balloon attached thereto:   said heat exchange balloon comprising a central passageway and a plurality of heat exchange protuberances which extend outwardly from the central passageway;   wherein the catheter has at least an inflow lumen for circulation of heat exchange fluid into the heat exchange balloon and an outflow lumen for circulation of heat exchange fluid out of the heat exchange balloon.   
     
     
         11 . A catheter device according to  claim 10  wherein the balloon comprises a low pressure balloon formed of expandable material. 
     
     
         12 . A catheter device according to  claim 11  wherein the expandable material comprises a material selected from: Chloroprene, Latex, Silicone, Polyurethane (PU), Styrene Butadiene Styrene (SBS), and Styrene Isoprene Styrene (SIS). 
     
     
         13 . A catheter device according to  claim 10  wherein the interior of the balloon comprises separate flow paths for inflow and outflow of heat exchange fluid. 
     
     
         14 . A catheter device according to  claim 10  wherein each heat exchange protuberance has an inflow channel through which heat exchange fluid circulates into that heat exchange protuberance and an outflow channel through which heat exchange fluid flows out of that heat exchange protuberance. 
     
     
         15 . A method for controlling a subject's body temperature using a catheter device according to  claim 10 , said method comprising the steps of:
 inserting the catheter into the subject's vasculature; and   circulating warmed or cooled heat exchange fluid through the heat exchange balloon, thereby causing the balloon to expand and resulting in exchange of heat between blood flowing through the subject's vasculature and the heat exchange fluid circulating through the heat exchange balloon.   
     
     
         16 . A catheter device comprising:
 an elongate catheter body having a proximal end, a distal end, an inflow lumen and an outflow lumen;   a plurality of heat exchange tubes disposed in arcuate loops extending away from the catheter body;   the inflow and outflow lumens being such that heat exchange fluid will circulate from the inflow lumen, through the heat exchange tubes and then out of the outflow lumen.   
     
     
         17 . A catheter device according to  claim 16  wherein heat exchange fluid flows distally through the inflow lumen to a location distal of the heat exchange tubes and then returns in the proximal direction through the heat exchange tubes and out of the outflow lumen. 
     
     
         18 - 20 . (canceled)