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 medical device including an introducer; a first section configured to connect to a supply of therapeutic fluid; and a second section configured to connect to a supply of therapeutic elements. The therapeutic elements are drawn into the introducer by way of suction created by a flow of the therapeutic fluid through the introducer. The therapeutic elements are drawn into the introducer by way of suction created by a flow of the therapeutic fluid through the introducer.

Methods and devices are disclosed herein that generally involve applying thermal therapy to tissue (e.g., localized cooling or heating of tissue), and in particular applying thermal therapy to the spinal canal, tissue disposed within the spinal canal, and/or nerve roots extending from the spinal canal. In some embodiments, tissue can be cooled or heated by implanting a malleable or deformable thermal device in proximity to the targeted tissue. The thermal device can be left in place following surgery to facilitate application of post-surgical thermal therapy. In some embodiments, the thermal device can be removed post-surgery in a minimally- or non-invasive manner. The thermal device can be connectionless or can include penetrable regions, pre-attached tubing, or detachable connectors to facilitate application of cooling or heating means to the device. Methods are disclosed for utilizing thermal devices and for carrying out various treatment regimens that involve cooling or heating tissue using such devices.

A portable apparatus to warm a stream of biocompatible fluid prior to introduction into a patient comprises a heat exchanger base with a first side and a second side, a gas chamber cover coupled to the first side to form a gas chamber therebetween, a fluid warming chamber cover coupled to the second side to form a fluid warming chamber therebetween, an air-fuel mixing chamber with an outlet feeding an inlet to the gas chamber, a catalyst member disposed within a catalyst compartment of the gas chamber to receive an air-fuel mixture from the inlet to the gas chamber, a tortuous pathway between the catalyst compartment and an exhaust port of the gas chamber, an air mover to receive ambient air and discharge air into the air-fuel mixing chamber, and a fuel storage tank connected to feed a stream of fuel gas to the air-fuel mixing chamber.

The combined members potentiate the autonomic, thermoregulation of an animal such as a horse. An absorbent wrap cools an animal by removing its extra heat during extreme physical and environmental conditions. The wrap member is submerged in water, excess moisture removed, then placed in a sealed, insulated cooler lined with frozen icepacks where the components stay cold until use. The wrap is removed from the cooler and seen in one embodiment fitted around the neck of an animal and held in place by fasteners. Temperature remediation occurs through a countercurrent exchange where incoming and outgoing elements touch to remove heat. The cooling wrap increases an animal's physiological mechanisms by working with their vascular structures and respiratory tract during selective brain cooling (SBC). The animal while stationary or under movement is cooled through the processes of conductive, evaporative and circulatory cooling.

A method and apparatus are disclosed for regulating a temperature of an esophagus when heat or cold is delivered to a left atrium, the method including altering a heat exchange device from an insertable configuration to a heat exchanging configuration which conforms and corresponds with a cross-section of an inside of the esophagus such that the esophagus is maintained in its natural shape and location. In some embodiments the heat exchange device has a heating/cooling balloon which is inflated to be in the heat exchanging configuration. Some alternative embodiments includes altering the configuration of the balloon to conform to or correspond with the cross section of an esophagus by means other than inflation.

Systems and methods for a medical device configured to provide cooling to a tissue region are provided. The medical device may be configured to noninvasively cool the tissue region to a predetermined operating temperature via a two-phase heat transfer process. In some aspects, the medical device can be configured to be in communication with a vacuum to provide a suction to the medical device. In some aspects, the medical device can be adapted to a medical device to noninvasively cool the tissue region near a fractional treatment area.

Systems and methods for systems and methods for focal cooling of the brain and spinal cord are disclosed. Some embodiments may be directed to a neuroprotection system that includes a cerebrospinal fluid processing platform. Embodiments may provide rapid and selective spinal cord hypothermia and drainage. Embodiments may be tailored to selective spinal cord cooling, pressure monitoring and automated drainage. Embodiments may enable local hypothermic neuroprotection, limit the stress of systemic cooling, minimize secondary neuronal damage and achieve maximal neuroprotection while at the same time improving workflow as a result of automated drainage. Embodiments may to include a multi-lumen catheter, a drainage collection reservoir bag, a pump to circulate coolant, sensor hardware and controllers to modulate the flow of a heat transfer fluid for cooling to modulate therapeutic hypothermia and re-warming. Certain embodiments may include extracorporeal cooling of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Certain embodiments may include circulating heat transfer fluid within a CSF-containing space near the brain or spinal cord using a catheter. Particular methods may be used to determine the length and amount of cooling.

The present disclosure relates to a transportable device for providing a cooled, oxygen-containing gas flow for supplying to a body of mammal via the respiratory tract, in particular a human being, in order to lower the body temperature. The device comprises a storage device comprising at least one fluid reservoir and at least one heat exchanger, wherein the storage device is designed to store an oxygen-containing fluid in the fluid reservoir and for providing a discharge flow of the oxygen-containing fluid. The heat exchanger is designed to cool the provided discharge flow by transferring heat to a cooling stream of a stored fluid and provided by the storage device, and a cooled, oxygen-containing gas flow for supplying to the body emerges from the heat exchanger.

The present disclosure provides improved technologies relating to medical fluid heating systems and apparatus. In certain embodiments, the present disclosure relates to systems and apparatus for heating a fluid and, more particularly, for quickly and controllably heating a flow of blood or a blood product, for example, for infusion into a patient or for hyperthermia treatment. In particular, in a first aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a system and apparatus featuring single flow path fluid heating (single path flow). Moreover, in a second aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a system, apparatus, and related method for efficiently utilizing the thermal energy of an infusate stored in a reservoir (slack time heating). Furthermore, in a third aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a fluid heating system and apparatus featuring a vacuum release valve designed to prevent the undesired orientation of deformed inflow tubing (vacuum release valve).