Patent ID: 6623516
Filing Date: 2003-09-23
Classification: A61B,A61F,A61M

Abstract:
A method for changing the temperature of a selected region of a mammalian body, said method comprising the steps of:A. providing a heat exchange catheter device which comprises an elongate flexible catheter having at least a working lumen, said catheter having an insertion portion which is inserted into a patient's body, having a heat exchanger which constitutes significantly less than the length of said insertion portion, said heat exchanger is operative to exchange heat between body fluid which flows in heat exchanging proximity to said heat exchanger; B. inserting the catheter into an anatomical conduit of the patient's body through which a body fluid flows to the selected region of the patient's body by advancing the catheter over a previously inserted guide wire such that the guide wire extends through the working lumen of the catheter, and positioning the catheter such that body fluid flowing through the anatomical conduit to the selected region will pass in heat exchanging proximity to the heat exchanger before reaching said selected region; and, C. utilizing the heat exchanger of the catheter device to change the temperature of body fluid which passes in heat exchanging proximity to the heat exchanger, such that said body fluid will subsequently change the temperature of said selected region of the patient's body.