Patent ID: 8246669

Claim:
A system for maintaining or changing the temperature of at least a portion of the body of a subject, comprising: a disposable heat exchange catheter having at least one recirculating-fluid-type intracorporeal heat exchanger, the disposable heat exchange catheter being insertable into the vasculature of a subject such that the intracorporeal heat exchanger is in contact with blood flowing within the vasculature; an external heat exchanger configured to be fluidly coupled to the disposable heat exchange catheter; a pump head in fluid communication with the intracorporeal heat exchanger and the external heat exchanger, the pump head, the external heat exchanger and the intracorporeal heat exchanger forming a fluid circuit through which a heat exchange fluid flows; a heater/cooler device in thermal communication with the external heat exchanger, the heater/cooler device configured to add heat to the heat exchange fluid or subtract heat from the heat exchange fluid flowing through the external heat exchanger; at least one sensor for monitoring the temperature of at least a portion of the subject's body, the at least one sensor providing signals representative of the monitored temperature of the at least a portion of the subject's body; a fluid source in fluid communication with the fluid circuit for providing heat exchange fluid to the fluid circuit; a reservoir in fluid communication with the external heat exchanger and the pump for storage of heat exchange fluid; and a controller configured to control the heater/cooler device in response to the signals provided by the at least one sensor to maintain or change the temperature of at least a portion of the subject.