System and method for bringing hypothermia rapidly onboard

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9522080-B2
Application number	US-201113025938-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 11, 2011
Priority date	Apr 18, 2005
Publication date	Dec 20, 2016
Grant date	Dec 20, 2016

Abstract

An intravenous heat exchange catheter and/or an external cooling pad/bladder can be used to maintain hypothermia in, e.g., a cardiac arrest patient, but to accelerate the cooling process the patient first can be infused with cold saline before the opportunity arises to connect the catheter or pad to the patient.

First claim

We claim:

1. A system for controlling patient temperature, comprising:
a closed loop heat exchange catheter configured for placement in the circulatory system of a patient to exchange heat with the patient;
a heat exchange system engageable with the catheter, wherein the heat exchange system includes at least one coolant loop having a coldwell, the catheter being associated with a catheter working fluid loop including a catheter coil disposable in the coldwell, the coldwell being at a highest location in the heat exchange system.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the heat exchange system includes a housing holding at least one sensor sensing the fluid flow engagement of the heat exchange system with the catheter, the sensor providing a signal to a controller in the housing.

3. The system of claim 1 , comprising a controller receiving a patient temperature signal from a brain temperature tunnel (BTT) sensor.

4. The system of claim 1 , comprising at least one IV bag supported on a housing of the system for infusing cold saline through an IV line and directly into the bloodstream of a patient.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the heat exchange system includes at least one coolant loop, the coolant loop configured for exchanging heat with a working fluid loop associated with the catheter.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the heat exchange system includes at least one refrigerant loop including a compressor and at least one heat exchanger communicating with the compressor.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the working fluid loop is associated with a respective pump.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the heat exchange system includes an internal reservoir.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the heat exchange system controls a temperature of fluid flowing through the catheter.

10. A heat exchange system, comprising:
a coolant loop;
at least a first working fluid loop in thermal communication with the coolant loop;
at least one heat exchange catheter associated with the first working fluid loop such that working fluid circulates through the heat exchange catheter, the working fluid not being a body fluid; and
at least one external heat exchange member configured for placement against a patient's skin to heat or cool the skin.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the external heat exchange member is associated with a second working fluid loop, the second working fluid loop exchanging heat with the coolant loop.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the coolant loop is embodied in a heat exchange system contained in a single housing and engageable with both the catheter and the external heat exchange member.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the housing includes at least one sensor sensing the fluid flow engagement of the heat exchange system with at least one of: the external heat exchange member, and the catheter, the sensor providing a signal to a controller in the housing.

14. The system of claim 12 , comprising a controller in the housing and receiving a patient temperature signal from a brain temperature tunnel (BTT) sensor.

15. The system of claim 12 , comprising at least one IV bag supported on the housing for infusing cold saline directly into the bloodstream of a patient.

16. The system of claim 12 , wherein the heat exchange system simultaneously controls respective temperatures of respective fluids flowing through both the catheter and external heat exchange member.

Assignees

• Collins Kenneth A
• Worthen William J
• Zoll Circulation Inc

Inventors

• Collins Kenneth A
• Worthen William J

Classifications

• A61F2007/126

  for invasive application, e.g. for introducing into blood vessels · CPC title

• A61F2007/0056

  for cooling · CPC title

• A61F7/12 Primary

  Devices for heating or cooling internal body cavities · CPC title

• A61F7/0085

  Devices for generating hot or cold treatment fluids · CPC title

• A61F2007/0095

  with a temperature indicator · CPC title