Selectively controllable apparatus for insertion into an ear canal, and related methods of use and operation for behavioral control. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a body configured for insertion into an ear canal. In one variant, the body includes one or more thermal mechanisms which enable selective increase or decrease of temperature of at least portions of the ear canal so as to implement behavioral control of the user, such as to mitigate cravings for food, alcohol, narcotics, or other potentially deleterious substances. In one variant, a mild nausea or pre-nausea condition is created within the user according to a time-temperature profile so as to induce the aforementioned behavioral modification.

A treatment system includes a generator and a fluid transfer cartridge. The fluid transfer cartridge includes a cartridge shell having a cartridge cavity. The cartridge cavity is between a front face and a rear face. A syringe barrel is disposed within the cartridge cavity, and has a syringe cavity. The fluid transfer cartridge includes a cartridge manifold in the cartridge cavity. The cartridge manifold includes a fluid transfer plate having a front fluid channel in a front plate surface, and a rear fluid channel in a rear plate surface. The cartridge manifold includes a fluid port extending through the fluid transfer plate from the front fluid channel to the rear fluid channel. The front fluid channel, the rear fluid channel, and the fluid port are in fluid communication with the syringe cavity. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

Methods, devices, and systems employ cryolysis of oropharyngeal adipose tissues to selectively remove fat cells from the tissues causing obstructive sleep apnea. In various embodiments, a chilled liquid—e.g., a liquid or air—is applied to the target tissue at a temperature and for a duration sufficient to cause cryolysis.

The present invention provides methods and devices for controlling a cold slurry that is delivered to a target tissue and for limiting heat transferring from surrounding tissue to the target tissue. In particular, a balloon structure is deployed at or near a point of delivery to act as a physical and/or thermal barrier. In some instances, the balloon structure can act as a pressure device obstructing the flow of warm blood into a treatment area, which can melt the cold slurry.

The present invention provides methods and devices for making a cold slurry at a point of delivery. A point of delivery device delivers cold slurry components to a location at or near a target tissue. The components are combined to form the cold slurry at or near the point of delivery. This approach to generating a cold slurry at the point of delivery allows the characteristics of the cold slurry, such as temperature, particle shape and particle size, to be maintained and controlled.

A temperature management system is configured to control a temperature of a patient's body using a heat exchange device. The temperature management system is configured to deliver temperature management treatment or therapy to a patient. A user interface of the system is configured to display operational data and patient data on the user interface in a configuration that allows a user to determine or review one or more periods of the performed temperature management treatment.

A temperature management system for ease and timing of priming, setup and/or operation by a user. The temperature management system is configured to control a temperature of a patient's body using a heat exchange device. The temperature management system includes a console that is coupled to a heat exchange device, such as a catheter or surface pad. The console includes a hardware interface for receiving or coupling to a fluid loop configured to supply the heat exchange device with heating or cooling working fluid (e.g., saline). The interface provides instructions, indicators, and/or hardware elements to assist a user in configuring and priming the fluid loop for operation.

The invention is directed to a mouth piece for cooling of oral tissue of a patient during chemotherapy treatment. The mouth piece includes a cooling medium contained within the top element and the bottom element and able to retain a cooling environment within the mouth sufficient to reduce capillary blood flow to the patient's mouth. In one embodiment, an external chamber extends from the front of the mouth piece to house a cooling medium. The external chamber can be configured so that it is removably attached to the mouth piece. A support device can be utilized to support the external chamber during use.

Proposed is an oral cooling device using a cooling balloon, including: a cooling water supply portion provided with a cooler that cools cooling water and a pump that supplies and recovers the cooling water; a cooling water hose portion connected to the cooling water supply portion to transfer the supplied cooling water and recover the recovered cooling water to the cooling water supply portion; and a cooling balloon portion which is connected to an end portion of the cooling water hose portion, expands by the supplied cooling water to cool an inside of an oral cavity of a patient after being inserted into a mouth of the patient, and contracts in a case where the cooling water is recovered to the cooling water supply portion.

Methods and apparatus for the treatment of a body cavity or lumen are described where a heated fluid and/or gas may be introduced through a catheter and into treatment area within the body contained between one or more inflatable/expandable members. The catheter may also have optional pressure and temperature sensing elements which may allow for control of the pressure and temperature within the treatment zone and also prevent the pressure from exceeding a pressure of the inflatable/expandable members to thereby contain the treatment area between these inflatable/expandable members. Optionally, a chilled, room temperature, or warmed fluid such as water may then be used to rapidly terminate the treatment session.