US 6,645,233 B1 · Drainage tube with heat transfer function and methods of use

Abstract

A drainage tube for controlling a patient's temperature and draining fluids from a patient's chest or other body cavity includes a generally tubular elongate body having one or more drainage lumens with one or more drainage ports disposed along the distal portion of the drainage tube. The drainage tube also comprises one or more flow lumens for transporting a heat exchange fluid to one or more heat exchange elements that exchange heat with tissue in the patient's chest or other body cavity. The drainage tube may have an internal heating element that heats or cools the heat exchange fluid. A heat exchange element may include an everting balloon that expands out of a cavity in the elongate body after intubation of the drainage tube. The expansion of the everting balloon may be assisted with a moveable inner shaft disposed in the elongate body.

Claims10

Dependent claims

A method for controlling a temperature of a patient and draining a body fluid from the a body cavity of the patient, comprising

providing a drainage tube comprising an elongate body, at least one heat exchange element, at least one drainage lumen, and at least one drainage port;
placing at least one heat exchange element in a heat exchange relationship with tissue in the patient's cavity;
placing the drainage port in the patient's cavity;
providing heat transfer with the heat exchange element such that the heat exchange element is heated or cooled;
and
draining a body fluid in the patient's cavity through the drainage port and drainage lumen;
measuring a dimension within the chest cavity;
and
selecting the drainage tube having a size that is less than 100 percent of the measured dimension.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Drainage tube with heat transfer function and methods of use

Life of this patent

Drainage tube with heat transfer function and methods of use

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims10