An improved medical pad for contact thermal exchange with a patient includes a fluid circulation layer for containing a thermal exchange fluid circulatable therethrough, a first port and a second port for circulating the thermal exchange fluid in to and out of the fluid circulation layer, and a hydrogel layer interconnected to and extending across one side of the fluid circulation layer to define an adhesive surface for adherence to a patient's skin. The hydrogel layer can include an ultraviolet light-cured composition with a cross-linking copolymer, water, and glycerol. The hydrogel layer is provided to have a thermal conductivity of at least about 1.9 ca//hr-cm-° C.

The present disclosure generally relates to intelligent garments that provide thermal regulation in a variety of environments. The garments may include different layers such as a hydrophobic layer in direct contact with a wearer's skin surface and saturated with an aqueous mixture, a spacer layer, a reflective layer, and an outer hydrophobic layer. The layers of the garment may work together to reduce the metabolic expenditure of the wearer in extreme environmental conditions or during demanding physical activity. A variety of sensors may be displaced throughout the garments so as to enable the collection of data associated with wearers as well as environmental conditions. Wearers may control the thermal balance and other properties of the garments as desired.

The present invention relates to a cauterizing method for strengthening the circulation of gi • acupoints of a human body by using a moxibustion device.

An improved medical pad for contact thermal exchange with a patient includes a fluid circulation layer for containing a thermal exchange fluid circulatable therethrough, a first port and a second port for circulating the thermal exchange fluid in to and out of the fluid circulation layer, and a hydrogel layer interconnected to and extending across one side of the fluid circulation layer to define an adhesive surface for adherence to a patient's skin. The hydrogel layer comprises an ultra violet light-cured composition that includes a cross-linking copolymer in an amount of between about 15% to 30% by weight of the composition, water in an amount of between about 15% to 40% by weight of the composition, and glycerol in an amount of between about 25% to 35% by weight of the composition. The hydrogel layer is provided to have a thermal conductivity of at least about 1.9 cal/hr-cm-° C.

A medical device is disclosed. The medical device may include an elongate member having a lumen extending at least partially between a proximal end and a distal end of the elongate member. The medical device may also include a plurality of legs coupled to a distal portion of the elongate member, and a distal end piece connected to each of the plurality of legs and located distally to the distal end of the elongate member. The medical device may also include an actuating member coupled to the distal end piece and extending between the plurality of legs and through the lumen. The reciprocal movement of the actuating member may be configured to reversibly move the plurality of legs from a first position to a second position. The medical device may also include a stopping member coupled to the actuating member and configured to limit a movement of the actuating member.

Methods are provided herein for affecting a region of a subject's body, comprising exposing the region to a cooling element under conditions effective to cool subcutaneous adipose tissue in said region; and increasing the blood flow rate to the cooled tissue by exposing the tissue to an energy source. Methods are also provided for treating subcutaneous adipose tissue in a region of a subject's body, comprising exposing said region to a cooling element under conditions effective to cool said tissue; and exposing the tissue to an energy source to increase the blood flow rate to the cooled tissue, thereby stimulating reperfusion in, and/or causing an ischemia-reperfusion injury to, the cooled tissue.

A modular therapy system for treatment of at least a portion of an animate body is disclosed. The apparatus includes a first modular member and a second modular member. The first modular member comprises a heat transfer device adapted to transfer heat between the device and the portion of the animate body. The second modular member includes a pouch adapted to receive the first modular member. The second modular member can be wrapped around the animate body portion with the first modular member positioned therein. In various embodiments, the apparatus includes a third modular member having a pouch adapted to receive the first modular member. The third modular member is configured for wrapping to a different sized animate body or different portion of the body than the second modular member. The third modular member may have a different shape or size than the second modular member. In various embodiments, the second and third modular members are sleeves selected from among a plurality of differently configured sleeves. Methods of making and using the system are also disclosed.

A cold therapy apparatus includes a thermal body wrap with umbilical to a control unit with pump for circulating a thermal fluid to remove heat from a body. A coolant heat exchange assembly includes a coolant tank that is filled with a coolant and has a heat exchanger inside that is immersed in the coolant. The heat exchanger is coupled to the control unit to circulate the thermal fluid through the thermal body wrap. The coolant heat exchange assembly is removed from the control unit and placed in a cold environment to chill the coolant, and is then re-coupled during cold therapy. The process is repeated form extended therapy periods.

An arthritis treatment system includes a cooling treatment mechanism for administering a cooling treatment protocol to a patient. The system also includes a heating treatment mechanism for administering a heating treatment protocol to the patient, distinctly and simultaneously with the cooling treatment protocol. The system further includes a controller for controlling both the cooling and heating treatment mechanisms. The arthritis treatment system simultaneously provides the cooling and heating treatment protocols to the patient, and the controller algorithmically adjusts the cooling and heating treatment protocols.

A thermal pack including: a pouch containing a thermal source; and a bendable and deformable support one of attached to or disposed within the pouch, the support being configured such that the pouch is deformed into a shape matching a contour of a body part and the pouch is maintained in the shape while applied to the body part by the support. The support can include one or more deformable elongated members extending in at least one direction of the pouch.