Methods and apparatus for adjusting body core temperature

• US 20050209663A1
• Filed: 09/23/2004
• Published: 09/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AVAcore Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Dynatherm Medical, Inc.
• Inventors: Hamilton, Nathan, Fisher, H. Lawson, Titsworth, Loren D., Hickerson, Barry, Kane, John Roy
• Granted Patent: US 7,160,316 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/108
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0036 Hand
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0045 Foot
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 7/02 Compresses or poultices for effecting heating or cooling
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 10/023 Rooms for the treatment of patients at over- or under-pressure or at a variable pressure

Abstract

A method and apparatus for adjusting body core temperature are provided. The apparatus comprises an appendage chamber that is adapted to be disassembled from a heat exchange element. In one aspect, the appendage chamber is disposable. The appendage chamber provides a negative pressure environment for a patient'"'"'s appendage placed therein. An appendage is heated and exposed to a negative pressure environment within the apparatus to efficiently raise or maintain the body core temperature of the patient.

Claims

1. An apparatus for regulating a body core temperature, comprising:

an appendage chamber having an appendage seal attached thereon.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the appendage chamber comprises materials that include stainless steel, titanium, glass, aluminum, or polymeric materials.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the appendage chamber comprises a polymeric material including an acrylic material, polystyrene, high density polyethylene (HDPE), low density polyethylene (LDPE), poly(vinyl chloride), or polypropylene.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the appendage chamber comprises a material that allows viewing of an appendage in the appendage chamber.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein appendage chamber comprises an acrylic material.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the appendage seal is a single use seal.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the appendage seal comprises a middle region and two end regions, and the appendage seal is attached to the appendage chamber at the middle region.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the appendage seal comprises an adhesive face and a backing.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the backing is non-elastic.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the backing comprises polyethylene.

11. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the appendage seal comprises a hydrogel.

12. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the appendage seal comprises two or more adhesive materials.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the appendage seal comprises a first adhesive material adapted to be reversibly attachable to an appendage and a second adhesive material adapted to attach the appendage seal to the appendage chamber.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the appendage chamber comprises an upper housing and a lower housing, the lower housing defining an aperture.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the appendage chamber is collapsible.

16. An apparatus for regulating a body core temperature, comprising:

an appendage chamber having an appendage seal attached thereon, wherein the appendage chamber is adapted to be disassembled from a heat exchange element.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the appendage chamber is disposable.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the appendage chamber comprises an acrylic material.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising a heat exchange element.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the heat exchange element comprises one or more protruding portions that are received by the one or more recessed regions in the appendage chamber such that the heat exchange element and the appendage chamber are attached.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the heat exchange element further comprises an actuator adapted to retract the one or more protruding portions of the heat exchange element from the one or more recessed regions in the appendage chamber.

22. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the heat exchange element further comprises a vacuum port and a vacuum sensor port.

23. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the heat exchange element is attached to a source of a heat exchange medium in a closed loop configuration.

24. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the appendage chamber comprises an upper housing and a lower housing.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the lower housing defines an aperture adapted to receive a portion of the heat exchange element therethrough.

26. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein a lower surface of the upper housing of the chamber is attached to an upper surface of the lower housing of the chamber, and a lower surface of the lower housing of the chamber is attached to an upper surface of the heat exchange element.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, further comprising a first gasket between the lower surface of the upper housing of the chamber and the upper surface of the lower housing of the chamber, and a second gasket between the lower surface of the lower housing of the chamber and the upper surface of the heat exchange element.

28. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the upper housing comprises a strap adapted to hold an appendage disposed in the apparatus on the heat exchange element.

29. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the heat exchange element maintains an impression of a hand to hold an appendage disposed in the apparatus on the heat exchange element.

30. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the heat exchange element is coated with a substance with adhesive properties to hold an appendage thereon.

31. The apparatus of claim 24, further comprising a heat exchange element cover attached to the lower housing.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the heat exchange element cover comprises apertures for vacuum ports.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, further comprising a vacuum port cover.

34. A method of regulating a body core temperature, comprising:

placing an appendage in an apparatus comprising a appendage chamber having an appendage seal attached thereon and a heat exchange element; and

heating the appendage.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising exposing the appendage to negative pressure.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the negative pressure is between about 0 and about 85 mm Hg below ambient pressure.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein exposing the appendage to negative pressure comprises applying a vacuum from a pump having a flow rate of between about 4 liters per minute and about 20 liters per minute.

38. The method of claim 35, wherein the appendage is heated during a surgical procedure.

39. The method of claim 38, further comprising opening the appendage chamber during the surgical procedure and examining the appendage.

40. The method of claim 35, wherein the appendage is an appendage of an unconscious patient.

41. The method of claim 35, further comprising deploying the appendage chamber from a collapsed state before placing the appendage in the appendage chamber.

42. The method of claim 35, further comprising applying a heat conductive paste to the appendage.

43. The method of claim 35, further comprising applying a topical vasodilator to the appendage.

44. The method of claim 35, wherein the heating the appendage comprises using between about 5 watts and about 250 watts to raise a body core temperature at a rate of between about 4°

C./hour and about 12°

C./hour.

45. A method of regulating a body core temperature, comprising:

exposing one or more extremities of a body to negative pressure, the one or more extremities having a first surface area; and

heating a region of the body adjacent to the one or more extremities, the region having a second surface area.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein the second surface area is greater than the first surface area.

47. The method of claim 45, further comprising heating the one or more extremities.

48. The method of claim 45, wherein the one or more extremities is one or more fingers.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein the region adjacent to the one or more extremities is a region of an arm from the elbow to the fingers.

50. The method of claim 45, wherein the one or more extremities is one or more toes.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein the region adjacent the one or more extremities is a region of a foot from the toes to the knee.