In one instance, a recovery system to assist an athlete with recovery is presented that includes a battery-operated, flexible wrap that applies heat and optionally pneumatic pressure while utilizing both conductive and radiant heat in varying proportions according to a desired pattern. Optionally, at least one pneumatic bladder on the flexible wrap applies the pneumatic pressure to the user. The recovery system has a control unit that ramps the temperature applied before leveling at a target temperature. Other systems and devices are presented.

A therapeutic burp cloth having at least one panel and at least one pocket. The therapeutic burp cloth is adapted to be worn by a caregiver while holding an infant. The pockets are adapted to receive heat pads, cold pads and therapeutic inserts for comforting the infant and the caregiver during use.

This disclosure relates to a brain cooling and spinal cord cooling system, device or mechanism for use in military helmets, and in an adapted format in non-military helmets. The system is comprised of an inflatable pad, or a set of interconnected pads, attached to the interior surface of the helmet, together with a series of valves that allow cooling gases to be delivered from a high pressure canister. The use of different cooling gases permits the achievement and maintenance of cooling of the brain for 24 to 96 hours at a mild (36° C.) or moderate (33° C.-35° C.) brain hypothermia, which is 1.5° C.-4.5° C. below the core temperature.

A method and system in accordance with a particular embodiments of the technology includes applying a substance onto skin of a human subject. An applicator is then applied to the subject to cool a region of the subject. After cooling the tissue, a nucleation initiator is used to initiate a freeze event in the tissue. The nucleation initiator can be an ice crystal that inoculates the skin upon contact to create a predictable freeze event therein. The time of contact between the ice crystal and the skin can be controlled to achieve desired effects.

A method and system in accordance with particular embodiments includes applying a substance onto skin of a human subject. A method for treating a subject's skin includes applying a hydrogel to the skin which contains the substance. The hydrogel and the skin are cooled using a cooling applicator to treat tissue via the cooling treatment by either freezing or not freezing tissue.

A method and system in accordance with a particular embodiments of the technology includes applying a substance onto skin of a human subject. The applied substance can include a freezing point depressant and a liposome, an oil-in-water emulsion, a water-in-oil emulsion, or an oil-in-oil emulsion and can be configured to protect or target tissue. The substance and a surface of the skin can be cooled using the applicator to treat acne and other skin conditions.

Systems, methods and devices for utilizing heat transfer parameters or energy expenditure of devices providing controlled hypothermia, normothermia or hyperthermia to detect changes, or the absence of changes, a patient's endogenous set-point temperature; which is not available during exogenously induced targeted temperature management. A particular embodiment would allow detection of fever in patients undergoing targeted temperature managed.

A prosthesis includes a socket for receiving a residual limb, the socket having a socket wall defining a limb-receiving surface; a heat pipe including a working fluid and a wicking structure, the heat pipe having a socket section and a heat sink section, the heat pipe extending along its length through the socket wall proximate to or exposed at the limb-receiving surface, wherein the working fluid has a boiling point of from about 0° C. to 90° C. such that the working fluid is adapted to evaporate to form vapor under the influence of the heat of a residual limb in the socket thus drawing heat from and cooling the residual limb. A heat sink section of the heat pipe passes through the heat sink, the heat sink reducing the temperature of the working fluid.

A thermal control unit for controlling the temperature of a patient includes a fluid circulation channel with an inlet and outlet, a first heat exchanger, a controller, and a cartridge receptacle. The controller controls the first heat exchanger to adjust the temperature of the circulating fluid toward a desired temperature. The cartridge receptacle is adapted to receive a cartridge having a second heat exchanger and to allow fluid to flow from the cartridge into the fluid circulation channel of the thermal control unit. The cartridge may include a vacuum chamber and a coolant whereby the expansion of the coolant into the vacuum chamber cools the fluid in the cartridge. Flow of the coolant in the vacuum chamber may be automatically initiated upon insertion of the cartridge into the cartridge receptacle, or by other means.

Disclosed is an applicator device for an apparatus used in a localized cryotherapy treatment. The applicator device is configured, when positioned over a body area to be treated, to receive and to uniformly distribute across the entire area covered thereby a stream of medium, such as air, adjusted to a temperature equal to or above −40 degrees Celsius (° C.) and directed, at a predetermined speed, via the applicator to the area to be treated, whereby a cold-induced thermal shock response is developed in skin and an underlying tissue within the area covered by the applicator. Related apparatus and a method are further provided.