초록 ▼

A catheter is adapted to exchange heat with a body fluid, such as blood, flowing in a body conduit, such as a blood vessel. The catheter includes a shaft with a heat exchange region disposed at its distal end. This region may include hollow fibers which are adapted to receive a remotely cooled heat

A catheter is adapted to exchange heat with a body fluid, such as blood, flowing in a body conduit, such as a blood vessel. The catheter includes a shaft with a heat exchange region disposed at its distal end. This region may include hollow fibers which are adapted to receive a remotely cooled heat exchange fluid preferably flowing in a direction counter to that of the body fluid. The hollow fibers enhance the surface area of contact, as well as the mixing of both the heat exchange fluid and the body fluid. The catheter can be positioned to produce hypothermia in a selective area of the body or alternatively positioned to systemically cool the entire body system.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A catheter having an elongate configuration with a proximal end and a distal end, the catheter configured to contain a heat exchange fluid in heat exchange relationship with at least a portion of the body of a patient and comprising:an outer tube having an elongate configuration and a first lumen

1. A catheter having an elongate configuration with a proximal end and a distal end, the catheter configured to contain a heat exchange fluid in heat exchange relationship with at least a portion of the body of a patient and comprising:an outer tube having an elongate configuration and a first lumen; an inner tube disposed in the first lumen of the outer tube and having a second lumen extending between the proximal end and the distal end of the catheter; portions of the inner tube defining a first heat exchange fluid flow path extending along the second lumen between the proximal end and the distal end of the catheter; portions of the outer tube and the inner tube defining a second heat exchange fluid flow path extending between the proximal end and the distal end of the catheter; and a plurality of hollow fibers having walls defining lumens for containing the heat exchange fluid, the hollow fibers being sealingly coupled to the first heat exchange fluid flow path and the second heat exchange fluid flow path to thereby provide a closed fluid connection between the first fluid flow path and the second fluid flow path for transport of heat exchange fluid between the first fluid flow path and the second fluid flow path wherein: each of the hollow fibers has a proximal end and a distal end; the distal end of each of the hollow fibers has a fixed relationship with the distal end of the inner tube; the proximal end of each of the hollow fibers has a fixed relationship with the distal end of the outer tube; the inner tube is movable relative to the outer tube; and relative movement between the inner tube and the outer tube varies the configuration of the hollow fibers extending between the inner tube and the outer tube.