Central venous catheter with heat exchange membrane

The present invention relates generally to methods and apparatus for cooling patients for therapeutic purposes, and more particularly to systems for establishing central venous access while providing a means for cooling a patient. A central venous catheter includes coolant supply and return lumens which communicate coolant to and from first and second heat exchange membranes arranged along the distal segment of the catheter. The coolant in the heat exchange membranes removes heat from the patient. Additional lumens are provided for conventional central venous catheter uses.