Method for inducing hypothermia
View Patent ↗Systems for phase-change particulate slurry cooling equipment and methods to induce hypothermia in a patient through internal and external cooling are provided. Subcutaneous, intravascular, intraperitoneal, gastrointestinal, and lung methods of cooling are carried out using saline ice slurries or other phase-change slurries compatible with human tissue. Perfluorocarbon slurries or other slurry types compatible with human tissue are used for pulmonary cooling. And traditional external cooling methods are improved by utilizing phase-change slurry materials in cooling caps and torso blankets.
1. A method of treating a patient comprising:
administering to the patient a phase-change particulate ice slurry subcutaneously into the pericarotid region of the soft tissue of the neck of the patient; and
continuing to administer the slurry until a state of hypothermia is induced in the patient.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the phase-change particulate ice slurry further comprises a sodium chloride solution.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein the sodium chloride solution further comprises a concentration of sodium chloride between about 0.5% to 6.0%.
4. The phase-change particulate slurry of claim 3 wherein the percentage of ice particles in the slurry is between about 5% and 74%.
5. The method of claim 2 further comprising administering the sodium chloride phase-change particulate ice slurry into at least one lung of the patient.
6. The phase-change particulate slurry of claim 5 wherein the percentage of ice particles in the slurry is between about 5% and 74%.
7. The method of claim 2 wherein the sodium chloride solution further comprises a concentration of sodium chloride of about 0.9%.
8. The phase-change particulate slurry of claim 7 wherein the percentage of ice particles in the slurry is between about 5% and 74%.
9. The phase-change particulate slurry of claim 2 wherein the percentage of ice particles in the slurry is between about 5% and 74%.
10. The method of claims 1 further comprising administering the phase-change particulate slurry to the patient intravascularly.
11. The method of claim 10 further comprising administering the phase-change particulate slurry into the aorta of the patient.
12. The method of claim 1 further comprising administering the phase-change particulate slurry to the patient intraperitoneally.
13. The method of claim 1 further comprising administering the phase-change particulate slurry into the gastrointestinal tract of the patient.
14. The method of claim 1 wherein the phase-change particulate slurry further comprises a perfluorocarbon liquid.
15. The method of claim 14 further comprising administering the perfluorocarbon phase-change particulate ice slurry into at least one lung of the patient.
16. The method of claim 1 further comprising administering the phase-change particulate ice slurry into at least one lung of the patient.
17. The phase-change particulate slurry of claim 1 wherein the percentage of ice particles in the slurry is between about 5% and 74%.
18. An apparatus for inducing hypothermia in a patient comprising:
(a) a liquid vessel containing a phase-change particulate slurry;
(b) means connected to the liquid vessel for delivering the phase-change particulate slurry internally to the patient, the phase-change particulate slurry containing a sodium chloride saline solution and ice particles, the saline concentration being about 0.9%;
(c) means for continuously administering the phase-change particulate slurry from the liquid vessel to the patient until a state of hypothermia is induced in the patient.
19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the percentage of ice particles in the phase-change particulate slurry is between about 5% and 74%.
20. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the phase-change particulate slurry further comprises a perfluorocarbon solution.
21. The apparatus of claim 18 comprising means for cooling the liquid vessel.
22. The apparatus of claim 18 further comprising means for mixing contents within the liquid vessel.
23. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the percentage of ice particles in the phase-change particulate slurry is between about 5% and 74%.
24. An apparatus for inducing hypothermia in a patient comprising:
(a) a liquid vessel containing a phase-change particulate slurry that includes a saline concentration of about 0.9%;
(b) means connected to the liquid vessel for delivering the phase-change particulate slurry internally to the patient, whereby the phase-change particulate slurry is delivered from the liquid vessel to the patient until a state of hypothermia is induced in the patient.
25. The apparatus of claim 24 further comprising means for cooling the liquid vessel.
26. The apparatus of claim 24 further comprising means for mixing contents within the liquid vessel.
27. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the percentage of ice particles in the phase-change particulate slurry is between about 5% an 74%.
28. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the percentage of ice particles in the phase-change particulate slurry is between about 5% and 74%.
29. An apparatus for administering a phase-change particulate slurry to a patient comprising:
(a) a liquid vessel containing a phase-change particulate slurry having a percentage of ice particles of between about 5% and 74%;
(b) a delivery device including a flexible, tubular member connected to the liquid vessel for delivering the phase-change particulate slurry internally to the patient, the flexible, tubular member having a first end and a second end, the first end insertable inside a patient, and the second end connected to the liquid vessel and in fluid communication with the liquid vessel, whereby the phase-change particulate slurry is delivered from the liquid vessel through the flexible, tubular member and into the patient until a state of hypothermia is induced in the patient.
30. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the flexible tubular member is adapted to be inserted into the gastrointestinal tract of the patient.
31. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the flexible tubular member is adapted to be inserted into the trachea of the patient.
32. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the flexible tubular member is adapted to be inserted into the patient intravascularly.
33. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the flexible tubular member is adapted to be inserted into the patient subcutaneously.
34. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the phase-change particulate slurry comprises a saline concentration of about 0.9%.
35. A method of treating a patient comprising:
administering to the patient a phase-change particulate ice slurry internally in which the percentage of ice particles in the slurry is between about 5% and 74%; and
continuing to administer the slurry until a state of hypothermia is induced in the patient.
36. The method of claim 35 wherein the phase-change particulate ice slurry further comprises a sodium chloride solution.
37. The method of claim 36 wherein the sodium chloride solution further comprises a concentration of sodium chloride between about 0.5% to 6.0%.
38. The method of claim 36 wherein the sodium chloride solution further comprises a concentration of sodium chloride of about 0.9%.
39. The method of claim 35 further comprising administering the phase-change particulate slurry to the patient subcutaneously.
40. The method of claim 35 further comprising administering the phase-change particulate slurry to the patient intravascularly.
41. The method of claim 40 further comprising administering the phase-change particulate slurry into the aorta of the patient.
42. The method of claim 40 further comprising administering the phase-change particulate slurry to the patient intraperitoneally.
43. The method of claim 40 further comprising administering the phase-change particulate slurry into the gastrointestinal tract of the patient.
44. The method of claim 40 wherein the phase-change particulate slurry further comprises a perfluorocarbon liquid.
45. The method of claim 44 further comprising administering the perfluorocarbon phase-change particulate ice slurry into at least one lung of the patient.
46. The method of claim 35 comprising administering the phase-change particulate ice slurry into at least one lung of the patient.
47. The method of claim 36 further comprising administering the sodium chloride phase-change particulate ice slurry into at least one lung of the patient.
48. An apparatus for inducing hypothermia in a patient comprising:
(a) a liquid vessel containing a phase-change particulate slurry;
(b) means connected to the liquid vessel for delivering the phase-change particulate slurry internally to the patient;
(c) means for continuously administering the phase-change particulate slurry from the liquid vessel to the patient until a state of hypothermia is induced in the patient,
wherein the phase-change particulate slurry comprises a sodium chloride saline solution and ice particles, the saline concentration being in a range between about 0.5% to 6.0% and the percentage of ice particles in the phase-change particulate slurry is between about 5% and 74%.
49. The apparatus of claim 48 wherein the phase-change particulate slurry further comprises a perfluorocarbon solution.
50. The apparatus of claim 48 further comprising means for cooling the liquid vessel.
51. The apparatus of claim 48 further comprising means for mixing contents within the liquid vessel.
52. An apparatus for inducing hypothermia in a patient comprising:
(a) a liquid vessel containing a phase-change particulate slurry;
(b) means connected to the liquid vessel for delivering the phase-change particulate slurry internally to the patient, whereby the phase-change particulate slurry is delivered from the liquid vessel to the patient until a state of hypothermia is induced in the patient,
wherein the percentage of ice particles in the phase-change particulate slurry is between about 5% and 74%.
53. The apparatus of claim 52 further comprising means for cooling the liquid vessel.
54. The apparatus of claim 52 further comprising means for mixing contents within the liquid vessel.