Technique for using heat flow management to treat brain disorders
First Claim
1. A method of treating a brain disorder by heat transfer from brain tissue comprising the steps of:
- surgically cutting a heat transfer aperture into a patient'"'"'s skull, thereby exposing a predetermined portion of patient'"'"'s brain;
surgically implanting into said heat transfer aperture a heat pump having one or more activity sensor elements and one or more temperature sensor elements;
surgically implanting a heat transfer management unit in a body cavity of said patient such that a micro controller of the heat transfer management unit is connected to one or more activity sensor elements and one or more temperature sensor elements contact brain tissue; and
connecting the heat transfer management unit to said heat pump via a lead bundle;
whereby responsive to signals from one or more activity sensor elements, mathematical algorithms of the heat transfer management unit determine abnormal brain activity, causing the heat pump to remove heat from the brain tissue into a heat sink, thereby cooling the predetermined portion of the patient'"'"'s brain.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of treating a brain disorder by heat transfer from brain tissue comprising the steps of surgically cutting a heat transfer aperture into a patient'"'"'s skull, thereby exposing a predetermined portion of patient'"'"'s brain; surgically implanting into said heat transfer aperture a heat pump having one or more electrical sensor elements and one or more temperature sensor elements; surgically implanting a heat transfer management unit in a body cavity of said patient such that a micro controller of the heat transfer management unit is connected to one or more activity sensor elements and one or more temperature sensor elements contacting brain tissue and connecting the heat transfer management unit to said heat pump via a lead bundle. Optionally, the heat transfer unit may be located external to the patient'"'"'s body. Responsive to signals from one or more activity or temperature sensor elements, mathematical algorithms of the heat transfer management unit determine abnormal brain activity, causing the heat pump to remove heat from the brain tissue into a heat sink, thereby cooling the predetermined portion of the patient'"'"'s brain. This technique utilizes acute hypothermia by means of a Peltier cooler or similar device to cool the brain temperature to reduce or prevent seizure initiation and/or propagation. The method may be used in association with brain stimulation and/or drug application to acutely avoid the occurrence of a seizure episode.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method of treating a brain disorder by heat transfer from brain tissue comprising the steps of:
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surgically cutting a heat transfer aperture into a patient'"'"'s skull, thereby exposing a predetermined portion of patient'"'"'s brain;
surgically implanting into said heat transfer aperture a heat pump having one or more activity sensor elements and one or more temperature sensor elements;
surgically implanting a heat transfer management unit in a body cavity of said patient such that a micro controller of the heat transfer management unit is connected to one or more activity sensor elements and one or more temperature sensor elements contact brain tissue; and
connecting the heat transfer management unit to said heat pump via a lead bundle;
whereby responsive to signals from one or more activity sensor elements, mathematical algorithms of the heat transfer management unit determine abnormal brain activity, causing the heat pump to remove heat from the brain tissue into a heat sink, thereby cooling the predetermined portion of the patient'"'"'s brain. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of controllably warming a hypothermic brain by heat transfer to brain tissue comprising the steps of:
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surgically cutting a heat transfer aperture into a patient'"'"'s skull, thereby exposing a predetermined portion of patient'"'"'s brain;
surgically implanting into said heat transfer aperture a heat pump having one or more activity sensor elements and one or more temperature sensor elements;
attaching a heat transfer management unit such that a micro controller of the heat transfer management unit is connected to one or more activity sensor elements and one or more temperature sensor elements contact brain tissue; and
connecting the heat transfer management unit to said heat pump via a lead bundle;
whereby responsive to signals from one or more activity sensor elements, mathematical algorithms of the heat transfer management unit determine abnormal brain activity, causing the heat pump to transfer heat to the brain tissue from a heat source, thereby heating the patient'"'"'s brain. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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18. A method for control of central nervous system tissue swelling or inflammation by controlled cooling comprising the steps of:
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surgically cutting a heat transfer aperture into a patient'"'"'s skull or spine, thereby exposing a predetermined portion of patient'"'"'s brain or spinal cord;
surgically implanting into said heat transfer aperture a heat pump having one or more activity sensor elements and one or more temperature sensor elements;
attaching a heat transfer management unit such that a micro controller of the heat transfer management unit is connected to one or more members of the group consisting of activity sensor elements and temperature sensor elements contacting brain or spinal cord tissue; and
connecting the heat transfer management unit to said heat pump via a lead bundle;
whereby responsive to signals from said one or more activity sensor elements or one or more temperature sensor elements, mathematical algorithms of the heat transfer management unit determine abnormal brain or spinal cord activity, causing the heat pump to transfer heat from the brain or spinal cord tissue to a heat sink, thereby effecting cooling. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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20. A method of controlling swelling, inflammation or localized pain in a non-central nervous system organ by regionally or locally directed cooling to said organ comprising the steps of:
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surgically cutting an incision into a patient'"'"'s musculature, fascia and body cavity linings and skin, thereby exposing a predetermined portion of said organ;
surgically implanting through this incision a heat pump having one or more activity sensor elements and one or more temperature sensor elements;
attaching a heat transfer management unit such that a micro controller of the heat transfer management unit is connected to one or more activity sensor elements and one or more temperature sensor elements in contact with organ tissue; and
connecting the heat transfer management unit to said heat pump via a lead bundle;
whereby responsive to signals from said one or more activity or temperature sensor elements, mathematical algorithms of the heat transfer management unit detect abnormal organ cell activity, causing the heat pump to transfer heat from the organ tissue to a heat sink, thereby cooling the patient'"'"'s organ to reduce or eliminate swelling, inflammation or localized organ pain. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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Specification