Inventors:
Wilfred Samson - Saratoga CA
Hoa Nguyen - San Jose CA
Mike Lee - San Francisco CA
Brady Esch - San Jose CA
Eric Olsen - Los Gatos CA
Jeff Valko - San Clemente CA
Assignee:
Cardeon Corporation - Cupertino CA
International Classification:
A61F 700
Abstract:
The present invention relates to catheters for selectively cooling or warming tissue within a patients vasculature. The present invention utilizes novel heat exchanging devices, which reside inside the catheter body for selectively altering the temperature of fluid that flows through the catheter shaft. In addition, the present invention utilizes novel pumping devices, which reside within a patients vasculature for withdrawing oxygenated blood into the catheter body where heat exchange occurs across a heat transfer interface for selective cooling or warming of the blood occurs. The present invention can be used in a multiplicity of medical disciplines where it is advantageous to selectively alter the temperature of tissue, including beating heart applications, as well as stopped heart medical interventions.