Patent ID: 7258662

Claim:
A method of regulating the temperature of a patient, comprising: providing a heat exchange catheter system including a heat exchange catheter having a fluid path therethrough, a pair of conduits fluidly connected to the heat exchange catheter, and an external heat exchanger connected via the conduits to circulate heat exchange medium through the exchange catheter; providing a first controller adapted to couple to the external heat exchanger of the heat exchange catheter system, the first controller including a heat and/or cold generating element therein for exchanging heat at a first rate with the heat exchange medium within the external heat exchanger; providing a second controller adapted to couple to the external heat exchanger of the heat exchange catheter system, the second controller including a heat and/or cold generating element therein for exchanging heat at a second rate with the heat exchange medium within the external heat exchanger, the first controller and the second controller being disposed in the same physical device; coupling the heat exchange catheter system with the first controller; inserting the heat exchange catheter into the patient; regulating the temperature of the patient by exchanging heat at the first rate between the generating element of the first controller and the external heat exchanger; de-coupling the heat exchange catheter system from the first controller; coupling the heat exchange catheter system with the second controller; and regulating the temperature of the patient by exchanging heat at the second rate between the generating element of the second controller and the external heat exchanger.