Systems, devices, and methods for organ retroperfusion along with regional mild hypothermia

Abstract

A quick-connector for use with an autoretroperfusion and hypothermia system and methods of using the connector. The connector comprises a coolant inlet, a coolant outlet, a coolant reservoir, a blood lumen outlet, a blood lumen inlet, and a blood lumen, whereby the coolant outlet is configured to accept a cooling product from the reservoir, the reservoir is configured to accept cooling product from the coolant inlet. Flowing blood powered by the patient's heart may enter the connector through the blood lumen inlet, travel through the blood lumen while being cooled by cooling product in the reservoir, and leave the connector through the blood lumen outlet. The temperature of blood leaving the connector can be measured at the blood lumen outlet. Catheters can be attached to the blood lumen inlet and blood lumen outlet to receive and send blood, respectively. A cooling system can be attached to the coolant inlet and coolant outlet to provide a source of cooling product.

1 . A connector for use with an autoretroperfusion and hypothermia system, comprising:
 a blood lumen inlet, a blood lumen outlet, and a blood lumen extending therebetween;   a coolant inlet for receiving a cooling product;   a reservoir for receiving the cooling product from the coolant inlet and cooling a blood flowing through the blood lumen; and   a coolant outlet for receiving the cooling product from the reservoir and sending the cooling product out of the connector.   
     
     
         2 . The connector of  claim 1 , wherein blood flowing through the blood lumen is pumped solely by a patient's own heart. 
     
     
         3 . The connector of  claim 1 , wherein the blood lumen is defined within the reservoir 
     
     
         4 . The connector of  claim 1 , wherein the reservoir is immediately adjacent the blood lumen. 
     
     
         5 . The connector of  claim 1 , wherein the blood lumen inlet and the coolant inlet are positioned at a first end of the connector; and
 the blood lumen outlet and the coolant outlet are positioned at a second end of the connector such that the cooling product and the blood flowing through the blood lumen flow in a parallel direction.   
     
     
         6 . The connector of  claim 1 , further comprising a noncontact temperature sensor at the blood lumen outlet to determine the temperature of blood leaving the connector. 
     
     
         7 . The connector of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling product is at a cooled temperature before entering the coolant inlet. 
     
     
         8 . The connector of  claim 1 , wherein the blood lumen inlet and the blood lumen outlet comprise luer lock connections. 
     
     
         9 . The connector of  claim 1 , wherein the connector comprises a 6 French diameter and 30 cm long flexible tubing. 
     
     
         10 . A connector for use with an autoretroperfusion and hypothermia system, comprising:
 a blood lumen inlet for receiving a patient's blood and a coolant inlet for receiving a cooling product, wherein the blood lumen inlet and the coolant inlet are positioned at a first end of the connector;   a reservoir for receiving the cooling product from the coolant inlet;   a blood lumen outlet and a coolant outlet for receiving the cooling product from the reservoir, wherein the blood lumen out and the coolant outlet are positioned at a second end of the connector; and   a blood lumen defined within the reservoir and extending between the blood lumen inlet and the blood lumen outlet.   
     
     
         11 . The connector of  claim 10 , further comprising a noncontact temperature sensor at the blood lumen outlet to determine the temperature of blood leaving the connector. 
     
     
         12 . The connector of  claim 10 , further comprising the patient's flowing blood within the blood lumen wherein the blood flows through the blood lumen without use of an outside pump. 
     
     
         13 . A method of using a connector as part of an autoretroperfusion and hypothermia system comprising the steps of:
 introducing a patient's blood and a cooling product into a first end of the connector;   flowing the blood and cooling product through the connector wherein the cooling product cools the blood; and   allowing the cooled blood and cooling product to exit a second end of the connector.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the blood flows through the connector solely under the power of the patient's own heart. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising the step of cooling the cooling product before the step of introducing the patient's blood and the cooling product at the first end of the connector. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising the step of measuring a temperature of the blood at the second end of the connector without contacting the blood. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising the step of adjusting the temperature of the cooling product based on the measured temperature of blood. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the blood exiting the connector at the second end of the connector exits at a pressure less than 50 mmHg. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising the steps of:
 connecting an arterial blood source at the first end of the connector;   connecting a catheter at the second end of the connector; and   wherein the patient's blood flows from the arterial blood source, through the connector, and into the catheter.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising the step of connecting a cooling system at the coolant inlet and the coolant outlet and using the cooling system to cool the cooling product.