Importance

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Abstract

Catheters adapted to exchange heat with a body fluid flowing through a body conduit employ helical elongate lumens for heat transfer with the body fluid. The helical elongate lumen of a catheter forms multiple turns extending longitudinally of a portion of the catheter with the turns each being bonded to the catheter along a fraction of the length of the turn. The length of the lumen and its orientation in each turn has the lumen otherwise displaced over a major portion of its length from the elongate body. The turns of the helical lumen can be arranged in sets having different lengths to encounter all areas of the flow. One or more infusion lumens may also extend to an infusion port or ports. The helical elongate lumen is defined by an elongate, thin-walled element. This lumen is in fluid communication with a heater/chiller supplying a working fluid for heat transfer through the wall of the elongate element defining the helical elongate lumen. A proximal hub may be associated with the catheter to establish at least one suture anchor and to receive the heater/chiller flow through input and output lumens associated with the catheter and in fluid communication with the helical elongate lumens. The elongated lumens may also be arranged in non-helical arrangements such as in a semi-circular configuration, a figure-eight loop configuration or a random loop configuration.

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First Claim