DEVICE AND METHOD FOR THE ADJUSTMENT OF TEMPERATURE

Abstract

Device (100, 201) for the adjustment of temperature, especially for the extracorporeal adjustment of the temperature of patients, with a transfer of heat between a fluid and a transfer medium, including a temperature-adjustment body (203) having a primary side which provides a guide for the fluid and having an application side which provides a surface (219) for contacting the temperature-adjustment body (203) with the transfer medium; a cover (221) which is attached to the temperature-adjustment body (203) and which forms a cavity with the temperature-adjustment body (203) on the application side, through which cavity the transfer medium can flow; the cover (221) being attached to the temperature-adjustment body (203) in a detachable manner; and flow-guiding structures (217) for guiding the transfer medium being arranged on the temperature-adjustment body (203) and/or on the cover (221).

Claims

1. Device (100, 201) for the adjustment of temperature, especially for the extracorporeal adjustment of the temperature of patients and/or for the extracorporeal adjustment of the temperature of body fluids, with a transfer of heat between a fluid and a transfer medium, comprising a temperature-adjustment body (203) having a primary side which provides a guide for the fluid and having an application side which provides a surface (219) for contacting the temperature-adjustment body (203) with the transfer medium; a cover (221) which is attached to the temperature-adjustment body (203) and which forms a cavity with the temperature-adjustment body (203) on the application side, through which cavity the transfer medium can flow; the cover (221) being attached to the temperature-adjustment body (203) in a detachable manner; and flow-guiding structures (217) for guiding the transfer medium being arranged on the temperature-adjustment body (203) and/or on the cover (221).

2. Device according to claim 1, wherein the flow-guiding structures stretch from the surface (219) of the application side up to a cover plate (223) of the cover (221) when the cover (221) is attached to the temperature-adjustment body (203).

3. Device according to claim 1, wherein the temperature-adjustment body (203) and/or the cover (221) comprise swirling structures for swirling the transfer medium.

4. Device according to claim 1, wherein the temperature-adjustment body (203) comprises ports (207) for supplying and removing the fluid and tubes (209) for guiding the fluid.

5. Device according to claim 1, wherein the temperature-adjustment body (203) and/or the cover (221) comprise ports (227) for supplying and removing the transfer medium.

6. Device according to claim 1, wherein the temperature-adjustment body (203) is multi-piece.

7. Device according to claim 1, wherein the temperature-adjustment body (203) is produced especially as one piece by machining a metal block (205, 215) and/or by an additive manufacturing process.

8. Device according to claim 1, wherein the flow-guiding structures (217) are produced on the application side of the temperature-adjustment body (203) and/or the tubes (209) for guiding the fluid are produced on the primary side of the temperature-adjustment body (203) by a material-removal process for a metal block (205, 215) of the temperature-adjustment body (203).

9. Device according to claim 1, wherein the cover (221) comprises a seal which seals the cavity at the boundary between the temperature-adjustment body (203) and the cover (221) attached to the temperature-adjustment body (203).

10. Device according to claim 1, comprising a connecting element (229) for the undoable attachment of the cover (221) to the temperature-adjustment body (203).

11. Device according to claim 1, wherein the temperature-adjustment body (203) and the cover (221) are made of different materials.

12. Device according to claim 1, wherein the cover (221) is designed for single use.

13. Device according to claim 1, wherein the cover (221) is at least substantially made of a plastic or at least substantially made of glass.

14. Method for the adjustment of temperature using a temperature-adjustment body and two covers in accordance with a device according to claim 1, comprising attaching (300) a first cover to the temperature-adjustment body, using (310) the device to adjust the temperature of the transfer medium, detaching (320) the first cover from the temperature-adjustment body, attaching a second cover to the temperature-adjustment body, using the device to adjust the temperature of the transfer medium.

15. Method according to claim 14, wherein the first cover and the second cover are each disposed of after use.

16. Method according to claim 14, wherein the method comprises a method for the extracorporeal adjustment of the temperature of patients and/or for the extracorporeal adjustment of the temperature of body fluids.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0036] Exemplary embodiments of the invention will be more particularly elucidated below with reference to drawings, where:

[0037] FIG. 1 shows a schematic structure of a system comprising a typical device for the adjustment of temperature, especially for the extracorporeal adjustment of the temperature of patients or for the extracorporeal adjustment of the temperature of body fluids;

[0038] FIG. 2 shows a schematic exploded view of a typical device; and

[0039] FIG. 3 shows a method in a typical embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS SHOWN IN THE FIGURES

[0040] Typical exemplary embodiments of the invention will be described below, with sometimes the same reference signs being used for identical or similar parts and possibly not being explained again with each figure. The invention is not restricted to the typical embodiments described below. In some cases, not all features in question are provided with a reference sign for the sake of clarity, for example the grooves with the reference sign 209 in FIG. 2.

[0041] FIG. 1 shows schematically a device 100, which is a typical embodiment of the invention. Typically, the device 100 comprises a temperature-adjustment body and a cover attached to the temperature-adjustment body, the temperature-adjustment body having a primary side which provides a guide for a fluid of a primary loop 102 and an application side which provides a surface for contacting the temperature-adjustment body with a transfer medium of a secondary loop 104. The temperature-adjustment body of the device 100 allows the heat transfer 106 between a fluid of the primary loop 102 and a transfer medium of the secondary loop 104.

[0042] The wording heat transfer encompasses, as in general in this description, a transfer of heat in at least one arbitrary direction or in both directions, especially a heating or a cooling of the transfer medium.

[0043] The heat transfer is typically realized by the contact of the fluid with the temperature-adjustment body on the primary side of the temperature-adjustment body, by the heat transfer in the temperature-adjustment body, and by the contact of the transfer medium with the temperature-adjustment body on the application side of the temperature-adjustment body. In typical embodiments, the efficiency or precision of the heat transfer is increased by flow-guiding structures, especially by heat-conducting flow-guiding structures, compared to unguided flow.

[0044] The transfer medium, an isotonic 0.9% NaCl solution in the example depicted in FIG. 1, of the secondary loop 104 transfers heat to a heat exchanger 114, which is, for example, part of an oxygenator. In the heat exchanger 114, heat is transferred between the transfer medium of the secondary loop 104 and a body fluid or liquid 110, for example blood of a patient, as a result of a heat exchange 112.

[0045] Using typical devices, a patient or an animal, the blood circulation of which is guided through the oxygenator at least in part, is temperature-adjusted, i.e., cooled or heated.

[0046] FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of a typical device 201 for the adjustment of temperature, comprising a temperature-adjustment body 203 and a cover 221 attached to the temperature-adjustment body. In the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 2, the temperature-adjustment body 203 comprises a first metal block 205 and a second metal block 215, which are welded to one another.

[0047] Mounted on a primary side of the temperature-adjustment body 203 are primary ports 207 as ports for supplying and removing a fluid. In the embodiment shown, the primary ports 207 are mounted on the first metal block 205.

[0048] The temperature-adjustment body 203 contains tubes 209 for guiding the fluid. The primary ports 207 are connected to the tubes 209 via ducts 213. The ducts 213 are, as shown in FIG. 2 by way of example, milled through the first metal block 205.

[0049] The primary ports 207 of the temperature-adjustment body 203 are connected to one another by the tubes 209. In the embodiment in FIG. 2, the tubes 209 are connected to chambers 211 or are interrupted by the chambers 211. The chambers 211 are provided for the uniform charging of the parallel tubes 209 with the fluid.

[0050] In the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 2, grooves and indentations are milled or eroded into the first metal block 205. The grooves and indentations are covered by the second metal block 215 as a result of the connection of the first metal block 205 and thus closed to form tubes 209 or chambers 211.

[0051] The temperature-adjustment body 203 comprises flow-guiding structures 217 on a surface 219 of an application side of the temperature-adjustment body 203. In the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 2, the flow-guiding structures 217 are realized as wavy ribs. In the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 2, the flow-guiding structures 217 are milled out of the second metal block 215.

[0052] In embodiments, suitability for comprehensive cleaning is, for example, due to the possibility of detaching the cover and of sterilizing and drying the temperature-adjustment body. Typical embodiments comprise a temperature-adjustment body or cover at least substantially free from undercut structures. In particular, the ribs are realized without any undercuts on the cover or on the temperature-adjustment body.

[0053] The cover 221 of the device 201 is attached to the temperature-adjustment body 203 in a detachable manner. In the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 2, the cover 221 comprises a cover plate 223, which runs substantially parallel to the surface 219 of the application side of the temperature-adjustment body 203, an edge plate 225, which extends between the edge of the cover plate 223 and the surface 219 of the application side of the temperature-adjustment body 203, secondary ports 227 as ports for supplying and removing a transfer medium, and a connecting element 229 for attaching the cover 221 to the temperature-adjustment body 203.

[0054] The flow-guiding structures 217 of the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 2 are realized such that they extend from the surface 219 of the application side of the temperature-adjustment body 203 up to the cover plate 223 of the cover 221. The flow-guiding structures 217 form channels which run in parallel for guiding the transfer medium.

[0055] In the case of one use of the device 201 in the typical embodiment in FIG. 1, transfer medium flows through a first secondary port of the secondary ports 227 into the cavity formed by the temperature-adjustment body 203 and the cover 221, flows in parallel through the channels formed by the flow-guiding structures 217, and exits the cavity at a second secondary port of the secondary ports 227.

[0056] In the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 2, the cover 221 is inserted onto the temperature-adjustment body 203 in a detachable manner by means of the connecting element 229, which is realized as a strip-shaped clamping means on the edge plate 225. Typically, the cover 221 comprises a seal, which, for example, is arranged on the edge of the edge plate 225 that is facing the surface 219 of the temperature-adjustment body 203.

[0057] FIG. 3 shows schematically a typical method for the extracorporeal adjustment of the temperature of patients, with a transfer of heat between a fluid and a transfer medium. The method can, for example, be carried out using a typical embodiment of a device as elucidated in connection with FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0058] In the exemplary method in FIG. 3, in 300, a first cover is attached to a temperature-adjustment body in a detachable manner by means of a clamping means as a connecting element.

[0059] The undoable attachment is typically undoable without any damage. Typically, a first cavity formed by the temperature-adjustment body and the first cover as a result of the undoable attachment is sealed against an uncontrolled escape of transfer medium.

[0060] In 310, a device comprising the temperature-adjustment body and the first cover is used for the adjustment of the temperature of a first transfer medium in the device by means of the fluid guided through the temperature-adjustment body. The adjustment of temperature is effected by a vaporization of the fluid following a cooling requirement and a liquefaction of the fluid following a heating requirement. The heat output of the primary side is regulated as needed such that the desired temperature ensues in the secondary loop. In this connection, the temperature in the primary loop or the temperature in the secondary loop can in each case be higher or lower by a few degrees depending on requirements.

[0061] In 320, the first cover is detached from the temperature-adjustment body without any damage, especially after the draining of the first transfer medium from the first cavity.

[0062] Typically, after 320, the temperature-adjustment body, especially a surface of the temperature-adjustment body that was in contact with the first transfer medium, is cleaned. Typically, the cleaning comprises a sterilization and a drying of the temperature-adjustment body or of the surface of the temperature-adjustment body that was in contact with the first transfer medium. In a typical embodiment of the method, the first cover is disposed of. In further embodiments, the first cover is cleaned and sterilized for reuse.

[0063] The method then jumps back to 300 for the next patient, with use then being made of a second cover and a second transfer medium in the second run, meaning that any pathogens brought into the first transfer medium in the first run do not lead to a contamination. A third run and further runs of the method can take place for the adjustment of the temperature of further patients.

[0064] The repetition can also be done multiple times or in further exemplary embodiments with a cleaned and sterilized cover.