Patent ID: 8206332

Claim:
A heat exchange catheter comprising: a catheter body having at least one heat exchange fluid lumen configured for fluid communication with at least one heat exchange element coupled to the catheter body for circulating heat exchange fluid through the catheter and heat exchange element to exchange heat with blood of a patient when the catheter is positioned in a bloodstream of the patient without the heat exchange fluid entering the bloodstream of a patient; and at least one heat exchange element being externally fluted in a spiral configuration along at least a segment thereof, wherein body fluid laterally outward of the heat exchange element cannot flow between the heat exchange element and a long axis defined by the spiral configuration of the heat exchange element; wherein a first heat exchange element externally fluted in a spiral configuration along at least a segment thereof and second heat exchange element externally fluted in a spiral configuration along at least a segment thereof are separated from each other by a flex region that is not externally fluted in a spiral configuration on a segment thereof.