System and Method for Management of Body Temperature
AssigneeZoll Circulation, Inc.
InventorJeremy Dabrowiak
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method for adding or removing heat from a heat exchange fluid circulating between an external heat exchanger and an intravascular heat exchange catheter is described. The system includes a two stage cooling system providing for a high rate of cooling in one stage and a lower rate of cooling in a second stage. Both stages may be used to provide maximal cooling while the second stage is used to provide improved control of the cooling rate as a target temperature is approached. The second stage may also be used to provide heat to the heat exchange fluid.
Claims16
A system for managing the temperature of a person using an intravascular heat exchanger inserted into the lumen of a body vessel of a patient, comprising:
- an intravascular heat exchanger having a fluid input port and a fluid output port;
- an external heat exchanger having an input and an output port, the input and output ports, the intravascular heat exchanger and the external heat exchanger forming a fluid circuit;
- a pump disposed within the fluid circuit for pumping heat exchange fluid through the fluid circuit;
- a heater/cooler configured to engage the external heat exchanger in a thermal transfer relationship, the heater/cooler including a primary cooling portion and a reversible secondary portion capable of heating or cooling, the primary cooling portion including a refrigeration circuit including a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, and a cold block in thermal communication with the reversible secondary portion;
- and
- a controller having a processor configured by software commands to receive temperature indications related to the temperature of a patient and to control operation of the heater/cooler in accordance with a target temperature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.