Delivering cooled fluid to sites inside the body

Abstract

Devices and methods to deliver cooled fluid to an internal site in the body are disclosed. A catheter includes an elongated member having a lumen longitudinally extending therethrough to a distal end of the elongated member. A temperature sensor senses the temperature of the fluid flowing through the lumen near the distal end. One method for treating an ischemic tissue region before reperfusion includes inserting a balloon catheter into a coronary vein that provides access to the ischemic tissue region. The balloon is inflated to occlude the coronary vein and cooled fluid is delivered from the balloon catheter and distal to the balloon. Another method involves inserting a catheter into a coronary artery where a lesion is obstructing blood flow through the artery. The distal end of the catheter is positioned at a location distal to the lesion and cooled fluid is provided from the distal end of the catheter to the ischemic tissue region.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.