Apparatus and method for continuous cardiac output monitoring

A cardiac catheter comprising:

• a catheter support member having a distal end, a proximal end, at least one internal lumen and an outer wall, said catheter support member dimensioned for placement within a body lumen having flowing blood;
• a first thermistor for sensing a first blood temperature, said first thermistor positioned along an outer surface of said outer wall;
• a second thermistor positioned along said support member and disposed apart from said first thermistor;
• a heat transfer device radially disposed about substantially the entire periphery of a segment of said catheter support member outer wall and juxtaposed said second thermistor, said heat transfer device having a generally tubular configuration, said heat transfer device comprising:
• an electrically insulated heating layer positioned between a heat conducting layer and a biocompatible material insulating layer, said heat conducting layer in contact with said second thermistor, wherein said heat conducting layer, said biocompatible insulating material layer, and said electrically insulated heating layer are concentric layers forming said tubular configuration, said biocompatible material insulating layer providing electrical insulation for the electrically insulated heating layer, said insulating layer forming an outer layer of said tubular configuration and in contact with said blood when said catheter is placed within a body lumen, said electrically insulated heating layer in thermal communication with the blood when said catheter is placed within said body lumen;
• a power supply in electrical communication with said electrically insulated heating layer for supplying electric current to said electrically insulated heating layer, said electrically insulated heating layer responsive to said electric current to increase a temperature of said heat transfer device to a second temperature above said first blood temperature;
• a temperature monitor in communication with said first and second thermistors and responsive to said first and second thermistors to ascertain a temperature differential between said first blood temperature and said second temperature;
• an electric current control means for controlling said electric current so as to maintain a constant differential between said first blood temperature and said second temperature.

A cardiac catheter comprising:

• a catheter support member having a distal end, a proximal end, at least one lumen and an outer wall, said catheter support member dimensioned for placement within a body lumen;
• a temperature monitor;
• a first thermistor configured to sense a first blood temperature, said first thermistor positioned along an outer surface of said outer wall so as to be in thermal contact with said blood when said catheter is placed with said body lumen, said first thermistor in communication with said temperature monitor;
• a second thermistor embedded along said outer wall and in communication with said temperature monitor;
• a generally tubular heat transfer device radially disposed about the periphery of said outer wall distal to said first thermistor and juxtaposed said second thermistor, said second thermistor configured to sense a second temperature of said tubular heat transfer device, said heat transfer device comprising:
• a power supply;
• an electrically insulated heating filament in communication with said power supply, said heating filament forming a coil about a heat conductive tubular bushing, said heat conductive tubular bushing being in thermal contact with said second thermistor;
• and
• a layer of biocompatible insulating material positioned for contact with said blood when said cardiac catheter is positioned in said body lumen, said layer of biocompatible insulating material being coextensive with said heat conductive tubular bushing and longer than said electrically insulated heating filament so as to provide the electrical insulation between the electrically insulated heating filament and said body lumen;
• wherein said heat conductive tubular bushing, said layer of biocompatible insulating material, and said heating filament form concentric layers of said generally tubular heat transfer device.

A process for monitoring blood volume flow, said process comprising the steps of:

• providing a blood volume flow monitor, said monitor comprising:
• a cardiac catheter having a distal end, a proximal end, at least one lumen and an outer wall;
• a first temperature sensor configured to measure a first blood temperature, said first temperature sensor positioned on an outer surface of said outer wall so as to be in thermal contact with the blood when said cardiac catheter is positioned in a body lumen;
• a second temperature sensor embedded along said outer wall displaced from said first temperature sensor;
• a heat transfer device positioned apart from said first temperature sensor, radially disposed about said catheter outer wall and juxtaposed said second temperature sensor, said heat transfer device having a generally tubular configuration comprising:
• an electrically insulated heating positioned between a heat conducting layer and a biocompatible material layer, said heat conducting layer being in contact with said second temperature sensor, and said biocompatible material layer, said biocompatible material layer forming an outer surface for said heat transfer device so as to electrically insulated said heating layer from said body lumen when said cardiac catheter is positioned within said body lumen, said electrically insulated heating layer in thermal communication with said blood, said electrically insulated heating layer configured to respond to a signal from a power source to increase its temperature to a second temperature above said first blood temperature;
• positioning said catheter at a predetermined location within said body lumen having flowing blood, a blood flow direction and said first blood temperature, said blood flow direction being from said proximal end to said distal end;
• monitoring said first temperature sensor to determine said first blood temperature;
• providing power to said electrically insulated heating layer to provide said second temperature, whereby a temperature differential between said first blood temperature and said second temperature is created;
• monitoring said second temperature using said second temperature sensor;
• allowing heat to dissipate radially from said electrically insulated heating layer through said biocompatible material layer;
• controlling said power to said electrically insulated heating layer to maintain said temperature differential at a constant level, whereby said power to maintain said temperature differential is proportional to blood volume flow;
• and
• determining said blood volume flow by monitoring said power to maintain said temperature differential at a constant level.

A cardiac output monitor comprising:

• a cardiac catheter for placement in a body lumen, said catheter having a catheter body with a distal end, a proximal end, and an outer wall;
• a first temperature sensor disposed along said outer wall;
• a second temperature sensor embedded along said outer wall apart from said first temperature sensor;
• a heat transfer device radially disposed about said outer wall and juxtaposed said second temperature sensor, said heat transfer device comprising:
• a power source;
• an insulating material forming an outer layer of said heat transfer device;
• a heat conducting layer forming an inner layer of said heat transfer device, said heat conducting layer being in contact with said second temperature sensor;
• an electrically insulated heating layer positioned between said heat conducting layer and said insulating material, said electrically insulated heating layer in thermal communication with blood in said body lumen, but electrically insulated via said insulating material when said catheter is positioned within a body lumen, said electrically insulated heating layer further in thermal communication with said heat conducting layer, said heating layer in communication with said power source and responsive to a current signal from said power source to increase a temperature of said heat transfer device to a temperature above a temperature of said blood;
• means for receiving signals from said first temperature sensor and said second temperature sensor and for determining cardiac output in response to the signals from said first and said second temperature sensors, when said cardiac catheter is positioned within said body lumen.