Self-centering patient temperature control catheter

Abstract

A catheter includes working fluid supply and return lumens through which working fluid circulates to exchange heat with a patient in whom the catheter is positioned. Plural wires arranged in a mesh are located longitudinally along the catheter and engaged therewith. The mesh can be moved between a radially expanded configuration, in which the mesh circumscribes an inner wall of a vessel in which the catheter is disposed and in which blood flowing through the vessel is not significantly impeded from flowing within the mesh past the catheter, and a radially collapsed configuration, in which the mesh lies against the catheter or is closely spaced therefrom to facilitate advancement and retraction of the catheter from the vessel.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A catheter, comprising;
 working fluid supply and return lumens through which working fluid circulates to exchange heat with a patient in whom the catheter is positioned; and   at least one expandable wire located longitudinally along the catheter and engaged therewith, the wire being expandable against a wall of a blood vessel in which the catheter is positioned to center heat exchange regions of the catheter in the vessel.   
     
     
         2 . The catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the wire is made of a shape memory substance. 
     
     
         3 . The catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchange regions are substantially coaxial with the wire when the wire is expanded against the wall of the blood vessel. 
     
     
         4 . The catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the catheter is engaged with plural wires alternating longitudinally along the catheter such that only one wire is engaged with only-one longitudinal portion of the catheter. 
     
     
         5 . The catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the catheter is engaged with plural wires located along the same longitudinal portion of the catheter. 
     
     
         6 . The catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one wire includes plural wires arranged in a mesh movable between a radially expanded configuration, in which the mesh circumscribes an inner wall of a vessel in which the catheter is disposed and in which blood flowing through the vessel is not significantly impeded from flowing within the mesh past the catheter, and a radially collapsed configuration, in which the mesh lies against the catheter or is closely spaced therefrom to facilitate advancement and retraction of the catheter from the vessel. 
     
     
         7 . A catheter, comprising:
 working fluid supply and return lumens through which working fluid circulates to exchange heat with a patient in whom the catheter is positioned; and   plural wires arranged in a mesh located longitudinally along the catheter and engaged therewith, the mesh being movable between a radially expanded configuration, in which the mesh circumscribes an inner wall of a vessel in which the catheter is disposed and in which blood flowing through the vessel is not significantly impeded from flowing within the mesh past the catheter, and a radially collapsed configuration, in which the mesh lies against the catheter or is closely spaced therefrom to facilitate advancement and retraction of the catheter from the vessel.   
     
     
         8 . The catheter of  claim 7 , wherein the wire is made of a shape memory substance.