Patent ID: 8652190

Claim:
A heat exchange apparatus for removing from or adding heat to a stomach of a patient, comprising: a heat transfer catheter insertable into the stomach of a patient, the heat transfer catheter having a first fluid lumen having a distal end and a second fluid lumen having a distal end; an expandable balloon in fluid communication with the distal end of the first fluid lumen and the distal end of the second fluid lumen, the balloon sized such that the balloon distends the stomach when the balloon is expanded, wherein a heat exchange fluid is delivered into the balloon through the first fluid lumen and the heat exchange fluid is circulated out of the balloon through the second fluid lumen; a disposable heat exchanger in fluid communication with the first fluid lumen and the second fluid lumen; a pump in fluid communication with the first fluid lumen and the disposable heat exchanger, the pump configured to pump fluid through a fluid circuit formed by the disposable heat exchanger, the first fluid lumen, the expandable balloon, the second fluid lumen and the disposable heat exchanger; a master control unit housing a heater/cooler unit within and having a slot, the slot being sized so that the disposable heat exchanger can be installed therethrough into the master control unit and into thermal communication with the heater/cooler unit; and wherein heat is exchanged between the stomach and the heat exchange fluid circulating in the balloon so as to controllably alter the temperature of at least a portion of the patient.