Treatment of ischemia-reperfusion injury by controlling patient temperature
Inventors
Kulstad, Erik • Caherty, Hugh Patrick
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-10413444-B2
Publication Date
2019-09-17
Expiration Date
Abstract
Relatively non-invasive devices and methods for heating or cooling a patient's body are disclosed. Devices and methods for treating ischemic conditions by inducing therapeutic hypothermia are disclosed. Devices and methods for inducing therapeutic hypothermia through esophageal cooling are disclosed. Devices and methods for operative temperature management are disclosed.
Core Innovation
A method is described for treating or preventing ischemia-reperfusion injury in a subject by controlling core body temperature. The method involves nasally or orally inserting a distal end of an esophageal heat transfer device into the subject and positioning a heat transfer region of the esophageal heat transfer device in the subject’s esophagus. The heat transfer region comprises at least one lumen that provides a fluid path for flow of a heat transfer medium.
Flow of the heat transfer medium is initiated through the fluid path prior to positioning the heat transfer region in the subject’s esophagus. The heat transfer medium is then circulated along the fluid path for a time sufficient to control core body temperature in the subject. The controlled core body temperature is thereby used to treat or prevent the ischemia-reperfusion injury.
The temperature-control approach is further described as enabling therapeutic hypothermia or maintaining normothermia using an esophageal cooling arrangement. The disclosure includes examples of heat transfer region configurations confined to the esophagus, including lumen-based fluid pathways, with esophageal placement and core temperature targets used to guide treatment. The system may include physiological sensing of parameters such as temperature and pressure to support temperature control and maintenance.
Claims Coverage
The document provides one independent method claim for ischemia-reperfusion injury treatment/prevention, with multiple dependent claims refining the temperature targets, temperature tolerance relative to a goal, and esophageal heat transfer device/lumen structural limitations. The independent claim contains the core procedural sequence including esophageal placement and pre-starting flow of the heat-transfer medium.
Esophageal temperature control for ischemia-reperfusion injury treatment or prevention
A method for treating or preventing ischemia-reperfusion injury by controlling core body temperature, comprising nasally or orally inserting a distal end of an esophageal heat transfer device, positioning a heat transfer region in the esophagus, and circulating a heat transfer medium through at least one lumen fluid path for a time sufficient to control core body temperature and thereby treat or prevent the injury.
Pre-positioning initiation of heat transfer-medium flow through esophageal lumen
Initiating flow of the heat transfer medium through the fluid path prior to positioning the heat transfer region of the esophageal heat transfer device in the subject’s esophagus.
Across the independent claim, treatment is achieved by esophageal placement of a heat transfer region containing at least one lumen for heat-transfer-medium flow, with the medium flow initiated prior to esophageal positioning and then circulated for sufficient time to control core body temperature to treat or prevent ischemia-reperfusion injury.
Stated Advantages
Enables therapeutic hypothermia or maintaining normothermia via esophageal cooling.
Controls core body temperature for treating or preventing ischemia-reperfusion injury.
Reduces steady-state temperature variation around the goal temperature (e.g., near ±0.1°C).
Achieves faster cooling rates compared with prior esophageal balloon heat exchanger methods (as described).
Documented Applications
Treating or preventing ischemia-reperfusion injury in a subject using core body temperature control with an esophageal heat transfer device.
Treatment is directed to neurological/cardiac injuries via systemic hypothermia induced by esophageal cooling (as described in the partial content).
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