Apparatus for rapid cooling of the brain and method of performing same

Abstract

Rather than cooling the brain by the relatively slow heat conduction through the low heat conductivity of the bony skull and hair covering the head, the present invention teaches the use of a light weight, easily applied neck encircling collar in firm contact with the soft tissue of the neck, and particularly in good thermal contact with the carotid arteries traversing the neck. A coolant flowing through channels embedded in the collar rapidly cools the blood flowing through the carotid arteries which branch into blood vessels throughout the brain providing vascular access and attendant rapid internal cooling throughout the brain including its deepest recesses. Placing the collar on the patient's neck is easily and quickly accomplished simultaneously with other emergency medical techniques, such as CPR, which maintain the patient's heart and lung activity. The collar of the invention contains no metallic parts; the collar, including the coolant channel, may be non-metallized fabric or plastic. This allows X-ray, Cat scan, or MRI procedures to be used while the collar is in place without impairing the effectiveness of the procedure. In a second embodiment, a conventional endotracheal tube, inserted into the trachea is provided with an toroidal bladder surrounding the tube. The toroidal bladder is positioned at the back of the oral cavity, and a coolant flowing through the toroid cools blood vessels in the oral cavity which traverse the brain, providing cooling of the brain tissue.

1. Apparatus for inducing hypothermia in a patient's brain, said apparatus comprising:
 a) an endotracheal tube having a first end and second end,  
 b) a toroidal shaped bladder surrounding said tube proximate said first end of said tube, said first end for insertion into said  a patient's trachea whereby said bladder contacts the tissues and blood vessels of said  a patient's oral cavity,  
 c) a source of liquid or gaseous coolant, said source for providing coolant to said bladder,  
 d) inlet and outlet coolant conducting elements connected to said toroidal shaped bladder, whereby said coolant from said source flowing through said inlet and outlet coolant conducting elements cools said bladder, further whereby when said first end of said endotracheal tube is inserted into said  a patient's trachea, said coolant flowing in said bladder lowers the temperature of said  the tissues and blood vessels of said  a patient's oral cavity in contact with said bladder, said  the tissues and blood vessels further acting as heat conducting paths from said  a patient's brain to said bladder whereby the temperature of said  the brain is lowered.  
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said endotracheal tube and said bladder comprises non-metallic fabric or plastic materials, whereby said apparatus is compatible with X-ray, MRI or CAT scan procedures. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising refrigeration means supplying said coolant. 
     
     
       4. A method of inducing hypothermia in a patient's brain comprising the step of:
 a) cooling said brain by lowering the temperature of the blood flowing in blood vessels located in said patient's oral cavity,    b) inserting an endotracheal tube into contact with said patient's trachea, said endotracheal tube having a toroidal bladder surrounding said endotracheal tube, said bladder being in contact with blood vessels located at the rear of said patient's oral cavity,    c) flowing coolant through said bladder by means of an inlet tube to said bladder and an outlet tube from said bladder, whereby said blood vessels are lowered in temperature to cool said brain.    
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4  further comprising the steps of:
 a) inserting an endotracheal tube into contact with said patient's trachea, said endotracheal tube having a toroidal bladder surrounding said endotracheal tube, said bladder being in contact with blood vessels located at the rear of said patient's oral cavity and    b) flowing coolant through said bladder by means of an inlet tube to said bladder and an outlet tube from said bladder, whereby said blood vessels are lowered in temperature to cool said brain.    
     
     
       6. A method of inducing hypothermia in a patient's brain, comprising the steps of:
   a )  inserting a coolant contact comprising a bladder, an inlet coolant conducting tube and an outlet coolant conducting tube into the oral cavity of the patient, the bladder being in contact with tissues proximate blood vessels located at the rear of the patient's oral cavity; and        b )  flowing coolant through the bladder by means of the inlet coolant conducting tube and the outlet coolant conducting tube, whereby the tissues and blood vessels are lowered in temperature to cool the brain.     
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6  wherein the bladder is a toroidal bladder and the coolant contact further comprises an endotracheal tube, wherein the toroidal bladder surrounds the endotracheal tube.