Fluid delivery system and method for treatment
Inventors
Kaveckis, Ryan • Harshman, Edward S. • Mayse, Martin L. • Streeter, John
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-10206735-B2
Publication Date
2019-02-19
Expiration Date
Abstract
A treatment system includes a fluid cooling supply system for chilling and delivering liquid coolant to a patient. The fluid cooling supply system includes a cooling device and a heat exchanger device. The heat exchanger device is biased to the cooling device and is in fluid communication with a treatment device in a patient. The fluid cooling supply system includes at least one biasing mechanism to provide a given biasing force between the heat exchanger device and the cooling device to effectuate and improve heat transfer. The liquid coolant may be circulated through an energy delivery device positioned in an airway of a patient to preserve tissue. The system is controlled to circulate liquid coolant at a given temperature and pressure for a selected amount of time during pulmonary treatment of a patient.
Core Innovation
The disclosed patient-treatment system circulates fluid between an energy delivery device and a reservoir through a heat exchanger cartridge. A cooling device comprises a thermal plate, and a biasing mechanism presses the thermally conductive surface of the cartridge against the thermal plate. A single pump in the supply path draws fluid through the cartridge at negative pressure to chill the fluid and supplies chilled fluid to the energy delivery device at positive pressure.
The fluid cooling supply unit incorporates an interchangeable and replaceable heat exchanger cartridge removably coupled to the thermal plate. The cartridge defines an internal fluid channel configured to chill fluid transported from an upstream reservoir under negative pressure. Disclosed configurations support airway-adjacent energy delivery with chilled-fluid circulation to protect non-target tissue while treating target nerve tissue.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims comprise claims 1 and 13, establishing two inventive features across the patient-treatment system and fluid cooling supply unit.
Patient-treatment system with fluid cooling supply
Claim 1 recites an energy delivery device configured to be positioned in the patient and a fluid cooling supply device comprising a cooling device with a thermal plate, a heat exchanger cartridge with a fluid channel in fluid communication with the energy delivery device, and a biasing mechanism that biases the cartridge's thermally conductive surface against the thermal plate. A single pump draws fluid through the cartridge at negative pressure to chill it and supplies chilled fluid to the energy delivery device at positive pressure, with a reservoir receiving fluid in the return path.
Fluid cooling supply unit with replaceable heat exchanger cartridge
Claim 13 recites a cooling device with a thermal plate and an interchangeable, replaceable heat exchanger cartridge removably couplable to the thermal plate. The cartridge includes a thermally conductive first surface and a second surface defining a fluid channel, biased against the thermal plate by a biasing mechanism. A reservoir is positioned upstream of the cartridge, and a downstream pump delivers fluid from the reservoir into the cartridge and draws fluid through the fluid channel and output port at negative pressure.
Together, the independent claims cover a patient-treatment system and a fluid cooling supply unit utilizing a biased thermal interface, a heat exchanger cartridge, and pump-driven fluid circulation to chill fluid.
Stated Advantages
Improved contact between the cartridge and the cooling device's thermal plate increases heat transfer and reduces temperature losses.
Documented Applications
Treatment of a patient using an energy delivery device supplied with chilled fluid circulated through a heat exchanger cartridge.
Energy delivery adjacent to an airway wall with chilled-fluid circulation to damage nerve tissue and attenuate nervous system signals while protecting non-target tissue.
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