Method of managing patient temperature with a heat exchange catheter

Abstract

A central venous catheter includes coolant supply and return lumens which communicate coolant to and from first and second heat exchange membranes arranged along the distal segment of the catheter. The coolant in the heat exchange membranes removes heat from the patient. Additional lumens are provided for conventional central venous catheter uses.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A heat exchange catheter, comprising: 
 a catheter body defining at least a coolant supply lumen and a coolant return lumen;    at least first and second heat exchange membranes disposed along a distal portion of the catheter body and communicating with one or more of the lumens, such that coolant can be supplied to the heat exchange membranes via the coolant supply lumen and received from the heat exchange membranes via the coolant return lumen to effect a closed loop heat exchanger for cooling and/or warming a patient.    
     
     
         2 . The catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second heat exchange membranes define first and second interiors respectively communicating with at least first and second coolant supply ports in the coolant supply lumen and at least first and second coolant return ports in the coolant return lumen.  
     
     
         3 . The catheter of  claim 2 , wherein the catheter is made of a urethane.  
     
     
         4 . The catheter of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one anchor engaged with the catheter body.  
     
     
         5 . The catheter of  claim 1  wherein the catheter defines at least a drug delivery lumen.  
     
     
         6 . The catheter of  claim 5 , wherein the catheter defines at least a guide wire lumen.  
     
     
         7 . The catheter of  claim 6 , further comprising a connector manifold engaged with the catheter body and interconnecting the lumens with respective connector lines.  
     
     
         8 . The catheter of  claim 7 , wherein the anchor is on the connector manifold.  
     
     
         9 . The catheter of  claim 8 , wherein the connector manifold defines plural channels, each channel establishing a respective pathway for fluid communication between a respective connector line and a respective lumen.  
     
     
         10 . The catheter of  claim 9 , wherein at least one drug delivery port is formed in the catheter body at a location that is between two adjacent heat exchange membranes to establish a pathway for fluid communication from the drug delivery lumen to a location outside the catheter body.  
     
     
         11 . A method for making a heat exchange catheter device, comprising the acts of: 
 disposing a multi-lumen catheter body in a connector manifold mold;    disposing plural connector tubes in the connector manifold mold;    interconnecting a respective lumen with a respective connector tube using a mandrel;    directing a plastic material into the connector manifold mold; and    removing the mandrels such that a respective channel is defined between each respective lumen and its connector tube.    
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising the act of engaging at least one heat exchange membrane with a distal segment of the catheter body.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the catheter body is made of urethane.  
     
     
         14 . A method for treating a patient, comprising the acts of: 
 advancing a heat exchange catheter device into the patient; and    circulating coolant through the catheter device while preventing infusion of the coolant directly into the patient's bloodstream, the catheter device including a heat exchange region established by: one or more heat exchange membranes, or one or more hollow fibers, or one or more chamber-defining enclosures.    
     
     
         16 . The method of claim  15 , further comprising the act of performing aneurysm surgery while the patient's temperature is below normal body temperature.  
     
     
         17 . The method of claim  15 , further comprising the act of treating head trauma in the patient while the patient's temperature is below normal body temperature.  
     
     
         18 . The method of claim  15 , further comprising the act of treating cardiac arrest in the patient while the patient's temperature is below normal body temperature.  
     
     
         19 . The method of claim  15 , further comprising the act of performing minimally invasive heart surgery on the patient while the patient's temperature is below normal body temperature.  
     
     
         20 . The method of claim  15 , further comprising the act of treating cardiac malady in the patient while the patient's temperature-is below normal body temperature.  
     
     
         21 . The method of claim  15 , further comprising the act of maintaining the temperature of a patient at or below normal body temperature, when the patient runs or attempts to run a fever.  
     
     
         22 . The method of claim  15 , further comprising the act of treating ischemic stroke in the patient while the patient's temperature is below normal body temperature.  
     
     
         23 . The catheter of  claim 1 , further comprising a temperature sensor attached to the catheter body.  
     
     
         24 . The catheter of  claim 3 , wherein the urethane is an aromatic urethane.  
     
     
         25 . A catheter configured as a Swan-Ganz catheter or central venous catheter having at least one membrane distally located on the catheter for heating or cooling blood in a patient.  
     
     
         26 . The catheter of  claim 25 , wherein the membrane defines an interior communicating with a coolant supply lumen of the catheter and with a coolant return lumen of the catheter, to circulate coolant through the interior for heating or cooling a patient.