US 7,500,985 B2 Mar. 10, 2009
(54) APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR COOLING A REGION WITHIN THE BODY
(75) Inventor: Vahid Saadat, Saratoga, CA (US)
(73) Assignee: Nidus Medical, LLC, Suratoga, CA (US)
( * ) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this patent is extended or adjusted under 35 U.S.C. 154(b) by 574 days.
(21) Appl.No.: 11/096,980
(22) Filed: Apr. 1, 2005
(65) Prior Publication Data
US 2005/0171585 Al Aug. 4, 2005
Related U.S. Application Data
(63) Continuation of application No. 10/841,160, filed on May 7, 2004, now Pat. No. 7,232,458, which is a continuation of application No. 10/159,713, filed on May 31, 2002, now Pat. No. 6,746,474.
Apparatus and methods for cooling selected regions within a body are described herein. An implantable cooling system is used to cool regions of the brain, spinal cord, fibrous nerve bodies, e.g., vagus nerve, etc. down to about 30° C. to diminish nerve impulses which control seizures or chronic pain. The system includes an implantable unit containing a pumping mechanism and/or various control electronics. It also has a heat exchanger attachable to a tubular body organ, such as the superior vena cava or the inferior vena cava, through which the heat is effectively dissipated. Also included is a heat pump such as a Peltier junction configured to be placed into contact with the region of tissue to be cooled. The heated portion of the Peltier junction is cooled by a liquid heat transfer medium which absorbs the heat from the junction and dissipates it into the tubular body organ.
16 Claims, 8 Drawing Sheets
