System and method for leak detection in external cooling pad
First Claim
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1. A method comprising:
- receiving, from an external heat exchange pad placed against the exterior of a patient and having an interior space through which working fluid can flow to exchange heat with the patient, a signal representing an electrical impedance between the interior space and location on the and outside the interior space; and
responsive to the signal satisfying a threshold indicating a leak in the pad, activating an alarm, wherein the impedance at least in part is related to a middle conductive layer sandwiched between two non-conductive layers of an envelope of the pad, wherein the receiving and activating are performed by a control system coupled to the pad.
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Abstract
An externally-applied heat exchange pad has three layers laminated together, an inner and outer non-conductive layer and a middle conductive layer. A leak in the inner layer causes coolant to contact the middle layer and change impedance, which can be sensed and used as an indication of an impending total leak of the pad.
233 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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receiving, from an external heat exchange pad placed against the exterior of a patient and having an interior space through which working fluid can flow to exchange heat with the patient, a signal representing an electrical impedance between the interior space and location on the and outside the interior space; and responsive to the signal satisfying a threshold indicating a leak in the pad, activating an alarm, wherein the impedance at least in part is related to a middle conductive layer sandwiched between two non-conductive layers of an envelope of the pad, wherein the receiving and activating are performed by a control system coupled to the pad.
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2. A system, comprising:
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an impedance detector; and an external heat exchange pad positionable against the skin of as patient to exchange heat therewith, the impedance detector communicating with an interior space formed by the pad and a location on the pad outside the interior space to receive signals representing an electrical impedance between the interior space and the location on the pad outside the interior space, wherein the pad includes an envelope defined by an outer non-conducting layer, an inner non-conducting layer, and a middle conducting layer sandwiched therebetween, the middle conducting layer being electrically connected to the impedance detector to provide signals thereto, the impedance detector being connectable to a control system to send a signal thereto for activating an alarm indicating a leak in the envelope. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification