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US 7,070,612 B1Granted
System and method for bringing hypothermia rapidly onboard
AssigneeAlsius Corporation
InventorsKenneth A. Collins, William J. Worthen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
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.
Claims19
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 blood of the patient;
- an external heat exchange bladder configured for exchanging heat with the skin of a patient;
- and
- a heat exchange system engageable with both the catheter and the bladder, 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 bladder being associated with a bladder working fluid loop including a bladder coil.
1 more element
A beat exchange system, comprising:
- a coolant loop;
- at least a first working fluid loop in thermal communication with the coolant loop;
- at least one intravascular heat exchange catheter associated with the first working fluid loop such that working fluid circulates through the heat exchange catheter without entering the patient's bloodstream when the catheter is positioned in the bloodstream;
- and
- at least one external heat exchange member configured for placement against a patient's skin to heat or cool the skin, the external heat exchange member being configured for heat transfer using the coolant loop.
2 more elements
A method for patient temperature control, comprising:
- providing a heat exchange system;
- engaging an intravascular heat exchange catheter with the system and with a patient to exchange heat with the patient;
- and
- engaging at least one bladder with the system and placing the bladder against the patient's skin to exchange heat with the patient.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.