Patent ID: 9056004
Filing Date: 2015-06-16
Classification: A61B,A61F,A61M

Abstract:
1. A method for treating or deterring injury or disorder of the brain or spinal cord in a subject, said method comprising the steps of: A. preparing a heat exchange catheter device which comprises; i) an elongate, flexible catheter having a proximal end, a distal end, and an insertion portion that is insertable into a patient's body ii) at least one fluid lumen through which a thermal exchange fluid may be circulated and iii) a heat exchanger located on less than the entire insertion portion which is less than the entire length of said insertion portion, said heat exchanger being operative to exchange heat between body fluid which flows in heat exchange proximity to said heat exchanger and the thermal fluid which is circulated through said catheter; B. inserting the catheter into the subject's body; and C. circulating a heat exchange fluid through the catheter device to result in heating or cooling the subject's cerebrospinal fluid; wherein the catheter device is connected to a controller that has a user interface whereby a user may enter a target temperature, wherein the controller also receives an upper variance set point setting that is above the user-input target temperature and a lower variance set point setting that is below the user-input target temperature, said upper and lower variance set points defining the upper and lower limits of a permitted buffer range relative to the user-input target temperature, the controller being operative to control the heat exchanger to maintain a sensed patient body temperature between the upper variance set point and the lower variance set point.