Claims
- 1. A method of treating an organ, comprising:
inserting a flexible heat transfer element into a feeder artery from a distal location; and changing the temperature of said flexible heat transfer element to modify the temperature of the blood in the feeder artery, thereby selectively modifying the temperature of the organ.
- 2. The method recited in claim 1, wherein said temperature change comprises lowering said temperature.
- 3. The method recited in claim 1, wherein said temperature change comprises raising said temperature.
- 4. The method recited in claim 1, further comprising circulating a working fluid through said flexible heat transfer element to accomplish said temperature change.
- 5. A catheter for modifying the temperature of a body, comprising:
a catheter shaft; a heat transfer tip adapted to transfer heat between blood surrounding said heat transfer tip and an interior of said heat transfer tip; and mixing-inducing structures on the exterior of said heat transfer tip, said mixing-inducing structures being shaped and sized to induce mixing in blood flowing within a blood vessel.
- 6. The catheter recited in claim 5, wherein said mixing-inducing structures include a helix.
- 7. The catheter recited in claim 5, wherein said mixing-inducing structures include a plurality of protrusions.
- 8. The catheter recited in claim 5, further comprising:
first and second lumens in said catheter shaft; and a working fluid circulated in through said first lumen and out through said second lumen to accomplish said heat transfer.
- 9. A catheter for modifying the temperature of a body, comprising:
a catheter shaft; first and second lumens in said catheter shaft; a heat transfer tip adapted to transfer heat between blood surrounding said heat transfer tip and an interior of said heat transfer tip; a working fluid circulated in through said first lumen and out through said second lumen to accomplish said heat transfer; and mixing-inducing structures on said interior of said heat transfer tip, said mixing-inducing structures being shaped and sized to induce mixing in said working fluid.
- 10. A method of treating an organ, comprising:
inserting a heat transfer element into a feeder artery from a distal location; and changing the temperature of the heat transfer element to modify the temperature of the blood in the feeder artery, thereby selectively modifying the temperature of the organ.
- 11. The method recited in claim 10, further comprising providing a flexible heat transfer element for insertion into a feeder artery.
- 12. A method of treating an organ, comprising:
inserting a heat transfer element into a feeder artery from a distal location; and changing the temperature of the heat transfer element and inducing mixing in blood flowing in the feeder artery to modify the temperature of the blood in the feeder artery, thereby selectively modifying the temperature of the organ.
- 13. A method of treating an organ, comprising:
inserting a heat transfer element into a feeder artery from a distal location; circulating a working fluid through said heat transfer element to accomplish heat transfer; inducing mixing in said working fluid; and changing the temperature of the heat transfer element to modify the temperature of the blood in the feeder artery, thereby selectively modifying the temperature of the organ.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This is a divisional patent application of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/570,075, filed on May 12, 2000 and entitled “Selective Organ Cooling Apparatus and Method”; which is a continuation patent application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 90/103,342, filed on Jun. 23, 1998 and entitled “Selective Organ Cooling Catheter and Method of Using the Same”, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,096,068; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/047,012, filed on Mar. 24, 1998 and entitled “Selective Organ Hypothermia Method and Apparatus”, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,957,963; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/052,545, filed on Mar. 31, 1998 and entitled “Circulating Fluid Hypothermia Method and Apparatus”, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,231,595; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/012,287, filed on Jan. 23, 1998 and entitled Selective Organ Hypothermia Method and Apparatus, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,051,019.
Divisions (1)
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Continuations (4)
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