A medical pad 10 includes a thermal exchange layer capable of absorbing and/or releasing heat to a patient and an adhesive surface 16A disposed on a skin-contacting side of the thermal exchange layer for adhering the pad 10 to the skin of the patient. The thermal exchange layer may comprise a fluid containing layer 12 for containing a thermal exchange fluid 14 capable of absorbing thermal energy from and/or releasing thermal energy to the patient. The pad 10 may also include a conformable thermally conductive layer 16 between the adhesive surface 16A and the fluid containing layer 12 and an insulating layer 18 on the non-skin contacting side of the fluid containing layer 12. A related fluid circulating system 40 including a pump 42 connected downstream from a fluid outlet 22 and a fluid reservoir 44 connected upstream from a fluid inlet 20 may be employed to circulate the fluid 14 though the fluid containing layer 12. The fluid 14 is drawn from a reservoir 44 into the fluid containing layer 12 through the inlet 20 and out of the fluid containing layer 12 through the outlet 22 under negative pressure by the pump 42. When the pad 10 is adhered by the adhesive surface 16A to the skin of the patient, thermal energy is exchangeable between the patient and the fluid 14 circulated within the fluid containing layer 14 to cool and/or warm the patient.
A portable device for providing a heated surface to melt snow and ice therefrom includes a reservoir having a top surface provided with an opening, a plurality of apertures, and a mechanism for conveniently heating fluid disposed within the reservoir. The heating mechanism is operably connected to the reservoir, a plurality of mats removably attachable to each other along a substantially rectilinear path and a plurality of flexible conduits in fluid communication with the reservoir and the plurality of mats. The heating mechanism includes a plurality of programmable sensors for selectively activating the device when a temperature falls below a desired temperature threshold.
A blanket system (1) is provided for maintaining or controlling a patient's body temperature before, during, or after surgical and non-surgical procedures. The system includes a non-obtrusive cover blanket (3), a blower (28) to blow the air beneath the blanket (3) and a vacuum source (30) to suction the air from beneath the blanket (3) and away from the patient.
A coolant system for a cryoablation or treatment probe such as a mapping or ablation catheter, or a treatment wand, includes a compressor and condenser having a low pressure inlet side and a high pressure outlet side, wherein the outlet side passes through a heat exchanger and is cooled by the inlet side and conditioned for injection to a catheter inlet. A vacuum return system connectable to the catheter outlet draws thermally expended coolant from the catheter and returns it to the low pressure inlet side. A motorized pressure regulator between the heat exchanger and the catheter inlet determines the pressure of coolant passing into the catheter and thus regulates the cooling rate for a selected mapping or ablation regimen. The low pressure compressor inlet supply preferentially conditions the pressurized coolant to ambient temperature or lower before injection into the catheter, allowing the coolant to travel through the body at ambient before expansion in the tip. In a preferred embodiment, a coolant reservoir feeds into the low pressure inlet side and receives a return flow of excess fluid from a branch off the outlet side of the compressor. The vacuum return assures that coolant does not leak into the blood stream, and preferably various check valves and bypass valves operate in the event of pressure buildup to return fluid to either the inlet or supply from different points along the loop. The coolant mixture preferably has a boiling point of approximately -60.degree. Fahrenheit at about 1-2 bar, and may be compressed to several hundred psi. The entire system is amenable to microprocessor control for providing ablation cooling cycles to operate the catheter tip in accordance with a selected protocol, and for effecting system functions such as recharging and venting of the supply, and shutting down during nonuse or upon occurrence of a fault condition.
Cooling a patient's brain is performed by each of two hollow pads exclusively in an area of a patient's neck adjoining one of carotid arteries by circulating a cooling liquid through one of the pads independently from the other pad or through both pads, to cool either one half of the brain, or another half of the brain, or both halves thereof.
The present invention provides for rapid heat transfer with a tissue region of interest (24) by the direct contact of a circulated thermal exchange fluid with the tissue region of interest (24). The tissue region of interest is covered with an appropriately configured flexible membrane (28). A spacing structure maintains a spaced relation between an interior side (30) of the flexible membrane (28) and the tissue region of interest (24) to define a fluid circulation space (34) for fluid flow therebetween. Thermal exchange fluid is drawn into the fluid circulation space (34) though an inlet (60) in the flexible membrane and out of the fluid circulation space (34) through an outlet (64) in the flexible membrane (28) under negative or nearly negative gauge pressure. The fluid directly contacts the tissue region of interest (24), resulting in cooling/heating of the tissue region of interest (24).
