Described herein is a system for heating and/or cooling a fluid that includes a temperature forcing device having a bottom plate and a top plate hingedly coupled to the bottom plate. At least one of the bottom plate and the top plate has a recess or other area for receiving at least one flexible fluid holder (e.g., a polymer bag). The bottom plate and/or top plate also has at least one protrusion and/or recession in its interior wall(s) such that a fluid passageway in the flexible fluid holder is defined when the fluid holder is placed between the top and bottom plates, and the plates are closed together. The fluid holder then has a fluid inlet for receiving the fluid to be heated and/or cooled and a fluid outlet for delivering the fluid. The fluid, upon being heated and/or cooled by the temperature forcing device, may then be delivered to a patient or may be delivered to another system component, e.g., for additional heating/cooling.

A patient warming blanket comprising at least two layers capable of forming a hollow air space between the two layers for receiving warm air from a heating unit via an inlet port at or near an end of the blanket. The two layers being arranged so that the hollow air space forms at least one tubular portion disposed longitudinally there within, and one of the two layers has at least a portion of its surface formed of porous material so that warmed air is delivered to said patient by diffusion through said porous material. The tubular portion has non-parallel sides such that the sides of the tubular portion are further apart from each other at a first end of the tubular portion closer to the inlet port than at a second end of the tubular portion remote from the inlet port.

A mist generator improves sterility of blowers having controlled forced air for patient warmers and lifters. The mist generator has a main body including a top wall with an opening, that traverses into a chamber adapted to receive a disinfectant, side walls and a bottom wall. The main body further includes an inlet duct adapted for attachment to a first hose which, in turn, is adapted for attachment to an output opening of the blower for delivery into the chamber of forced air carrying misted disinfectant. The main body also includes an output duct adapted for attachment to a second hose which, in turn, is adapted for attachment to an inlet opening of the blower for delivery of disinfectant misted air through internal components of the blower. The mist generator improves sterility of the blower, thereby mitigating microbial contamination of patient warmers and lifters, and hospital environments.

An electric blanket or pad for warming a living body including a flexible sheet-like heating element including an upper edge, a lower edge, and at least two side edges. A shell formed of layers of flexible sheets covering the heating element and sealed with a weld. The weld coupling the sheets of the shell about the edges to hermetically seal the heating element therebetween. The weld may be an RF weld, ultrasonic weld, or a heat bond, wherein the sheets comprise PVC.

The present invention is directed to a self regulating heater including a first layer made of a thin and flexible electrically insulating material. A second electrically conductive layer includes first and second buses spaced from each other. A third resistive layer electrically connects the first and second buses. The third layer has a higher electrical resistance than the second layer. The third layer experiences a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) effect when heated. A fourth interface layer directly connected to at least one of the second electrically conductive layer and the third resistive layer directly engages skin of a patient when the heater is attached to the patient. A combined thickness of the first layer, the second conductive layer, the third resistive layer and the fourth layer may be between 5 mil and 20 mil.

A combination therapy pad that includes a first layer and a second layer operatively coupled to the first layer. A fiber-optic array is disposed between the first layer and the second layer. A third layer is operatively coupled to the first layer. The third layer includes a vacuum tube in fluid communication with a vacuum source and a therapeutic fluid tube in fluid communication with a therapeutic fluid source. The third layer provides at least one of vacuum therapy and therapeutic fluid treatment to a wound area.

The air flow system includes a hose member having an exterior flow tube and an interior flow tube, a distal connector, and a proximal connector. The air flow in the interior flow tube is separate from the exterior flow tube. Air flows from the exterior flow tube, through a flow chamber, around a treatment site of inflammation and back to the interior flow tube. The system for air circulation therapy also includes a body attachment device, an air pump supply, an air recovery unit, a temperature sensor, an air flow sensor, and a controller. The method includes inserting a body part with a treatment site within the flow chamberand sealing the flow chamber to the air flow system. Temperature regulated air flow is supplied to the treatment site in the flow chamber and collected from the flow chamber.

A mist generator improves the sterility of blowers having controlled forced air systems. In one embodiment, the mist generator has a chamber adapted to receive a disinfectant adapted for attachment to an output opening of a blower for delivery into the chamber of forced air carrying misted disinfectant. The main body also includes an output duct or aperture adapted for attachment to a second hose which, in turn, is adapted for attachment to an inlet opening of the blower for delivery of disinfectant misted air through internal components of the blower. Alternatively, there is used a disinfectant filter formed as a sterilizing grid having a screen coated with a soft porous surface material impregnated with a liquid disinfectant. The soft porous surface material releases said liquid disinfectant when forced air moves through the filter. In both embodiments, sterile water is introduced to take up residual disinfectant and the vapor captured in a dry filter or desiccant material and removed from the system. The mist generator improves the sterility of the blower to mitigate microbial contamination of forced air delivery systems.

A forced air warming blanket for providing conditioned gas to a patient and a method of using and manufacturing the same. The forced air warming blanket comprises a first blanket portion which comprises a generally U-shaped inflatable region, at least part of the external surface of the inflatable region being air permeable, as well as an inlet port for receiving temperature conditioned gas. An inner blanket portion is provided within the generally U-shaped inflatable region of the first blanket portion. The inner blanket portion is at least partially (or wholly) detachable from the first blanket portion. The inner blanket portion may also have an inflatable region. An outer blanket portion may be provided.

A cold and heat exchange system for a cardiac surgical operation with cardiac arrest, comprising: an ice water tank (15), a primary circulation water tank (11), and a secondary circulation water tank (16). Side walls of the primary circulation water tank (11) and the secondary circulation water tank (16) are each provided with an overflow orifice which is connected to the ice water tank (15) through a circulation pipe (14). A first roller pump (12) is mounted on a first hose (13). A second roller pump (18) is mounted on a second hose (17). The primary circulation water tank (11) is mounted on a first loop (5) and a second loop (6). The secondary circulation water tank (16) is mounted on a third loop (1).