An intravital cooling device is for cooling a target site in a living body and includes: a heat exchange part having a flow channel through which a refrigerant passes; and a flexible heat conduction sheet that is directly or indirectly connected to the heat exchange part and arranged to cover the target site, wherein the heat conduction sheet includes a living-body surface, which is a surface on the side that makes contact with the target site, and an outer surface, which is a surface opposite from the living-body surface.

A method is provided for in-situ cooling of biological tissue within the body, the biological tissue being selected from the group consisting of organ tissue, blood vessel tissue and combinations thereof. The method comprises establishing a heat-conducting contact between a heat absorption zone of a cooling unit of a device for in-situ cooling of biological tissue and the biological tissue within the body, transporting thermal energy from the heat absorption zone of the cooling unit via a substance for transporting thermal energy, which is arranged within a hollow tube of the device for in-situ cooling of biological tissue, to a cooling device of the device for in-situ cooling of biological tissue, and releasing the thermal energy via the cooling device. The method allows protecting biological tissue within the body in a location-selective manner from cancer-therapy-caused damage during cancer therapy in a simple, cost-effective and low-risk manner.

A method is provided for in-situ cooling of biological tissue within the body, the biological tissue being selected from the group consisting of organ tissue, blood vessel tissue and combinations thereof. The method comprises establishing a heat-conducting contact between a heat absorption zone of a cooling unit of a device for in-situ cooling of biological tissue and the biological tissue within the body, transporting thermal energy from the heat absorption zone of the cooling unit via a substance for transporting thermal energy, which is arranged within a hollow tube of the device for in-situ cooling of biological tissue, to a cooling device of the device for in-situ cooling of biological tissue, and releasing the thermal energy via the cooling device. The method allows protecting biological tissue within the body in a location-selective manner from cancer-therapy-caused damage during cancer therapy in a simple, cost-effective and low-risk manner.

In an example, a cryotherapy device includes an elongated shaft, and a cryotherapy delivery member coupled to a distal end of the elongated shaft. The cryotherapy delivery member is configured to apply, from a fixed position in a nasal cavity, thermal energy to at least one of a plurality of nerves in the nasal cavity or a plurality of branches of a nerve in the nasal cavity.

A process and related assemblies for delivering slush through a tube towards a patient. Obtaining an elongated container partially filled with slush with a port end that has a first port and a second port. Placing the first port in fluid communication with tubing for delivery of slush towards the patient. Placing the second port in fluid communication with a source of gas which may be air. Subjecting the elongated container to automated repetitive movements so that the slush in the partially filled elongated container moves against interior surfaces within the elongated container. Ideally, two different forms of repetitive motion are used to impose complex movement upon the slush within the elongated container. Applying a pressure gradient to cause slush to flow out of the first port towards the patient. The elongated container may be made from a slush bottle with a reversibly engaged cap with the two ports.

A process and related assemblies for delivering slush through a tube towards a patient. Obtaining an elongated container partially filled with slush with a port end that has a first port and a second port. Placing the first port in fluid communication with tubing for delivery of slush towards the patient. Placing the second port in fluid communication with a source of gas which may be air. Subjecting the elongated container to automated repetitive movements so that the slush in the partially filled elongated container moves against interior surfaces within the elongated container. Ideally, two different forms of repetitive motion are used to impose complex movement upon the slush within the elongated container. Applying a pressure gradient to cause slush to flow out of the first port towards the patient. The elongated container may be made from a slush bottle with a reversibly engaged cap with the two ports.

Embodiments include a cryogenic device for alleviating pain by cryogenically treating a nerve, the cryogenic device including a handpiece; a needle coupled to a distal end of the handpiece, the needle including a needle lumen, the needle being configured for insertion into a skin of a patient along an insertion axis at a site laterally displaced from a treatment zone proximate to the nerve. The needle is configured to resiliently bend after insertion away from the insertion axis, such that at least a portion of the needle is adapted to traverse a skin layer laterally toward the treatment zone. The device includes a cooling fluid supply tube extending distally into the needle lumen; and a cooling fluid source, wherein the cooling fluid source is coupled to the cooling fluid supply tube to direct cooling fluid into the needle lumen.

Embodiments include a cryogenic device for alleviating pain by cryogenically treating a nerve, the cryogenic device including a handpiece; a needle coupled to a distal end of the handpiece, the needle including a needle lumen, the needle being configured for insertion into a skin of a patient along an insertion axis at a site laterally displaced from a treatment zone proximate to the nerve. The needle is configured to resiliently bend after insertion away from the insertion axis, such that at least a portion of the needle is adapted to traverse a skin layer laterally toward the treatment zone. The device includes a cooling fluid supply tube extending distally into the needle lumen; and a cooling fluid source, wherein the cooling fluid source is coupled to the cooling fluid supply tube to direct cooling fluid into the needle lumen.

A medical system that includes a temperature scanning device configured to identify and locate blood vessels by obtaining a thermal image from a skin surface where blood flowing within blood vessels beneath the skin surface has been altered to define temperature variations of the skin. The system includes a console configured to communicate with the temperature scanning device, the console including processors and logic that, when executed by the processors, causes operations including defining the thermal image. The system may further include a camera, and/or an ultrasound probe. The thermal image may be portrayed on various forms of a display include augmented reality glasses. The thermal image may be overlayed onto a camera image and/or an ultrasound image.

A temperature management system controls a temperature of a body of a patient and determines a value indicative of a thermoregulatory activity of the patient. The system includes a heat exchange system configured to exchange heat with a body of a patient and to record operational data while controlling the temperature of the body of the patient. The temperature management system receives temperature data from a sensor, controls the heat exchange system to maintain the temperature of the body of the patient within a target temperature range, receives, in response to the controlling, operational data, determines, based on the temperature data and the operational data, a value indicative of a thermoregulatory activity of the patient, and generates, based on the value, an alert through the user interface indicating the thermoregulatory activity of the patient.