A method to improve neurologically-intact survival rates after cardiac arrest may include performing CPR on an individual in cardiac arrest while the individual is in a supine position in general alignment with a horizontal plane. The method may include elevating the individual's head, shoulders, and heart relative to the individual's lower body while the individual's lower body remains generally aligned with the horizontal plane to cause blood to actively drain venous blood from the brain to reduce intracranial pressure. The method may include performing chest compressions on the individual and actively decompressing the individual's chest while the individual's head, shoulders, and heart are elevated.

A surgical apparatus has connected strips that are configured to surround an organ, such as a kidney. The surgical apparatus at least partially mechanically occludes fluid flow into, out of or within part of the organ. Each strip is individually inflatable. Tubes deliver fluid to the strips. Each of the tubes is connected to one of the strips.

A balloon catheter is used in a closed-loop heat exchange system for manipulating the temperature of a patient. The balloon catheter is positioned in the stomach of the patient, and then expanded with a heat exchange fluid delivered through a lumen formed in the shaft of the catheter. The balloon catheter comes into contact with the wall of the stomach, and the stomach substantially conforms around the expanded balloon catheter. The heat exchange fluid is allowed to flow continuously into and out of the balloon catheter. Heat is exchanged between the balloon catheter and the stomach so as to controllably alter the temperature of at least a portion of the patient. Anti-shivering mechanisms and automatic control based on temperature feedback from the patient may be used in connection with the heat exchange system.

Methods for cerebral cooling are described. Cooling assemblies include elongate tubular members, a reservoir containing a pressurized fluid, and a manifold connecting the reservoir and elongate tubular members. After insertion of the elongate tubular members into the patient's nostrils, a pressurized fluid is delivered onto a surface of the patient's nasal cavity through a plurality of ports in the elongate tubular members. The delivery of the fluid causes cooling by direct heat transfer through the nasopharynx and hematogenous cooling through the carotids and the Circle of Willis.

Methods for cerebral cooling are described. Cooling assemblies include elongate tubular members, a reservoir containing a pressurized fluid, and a manifold connecting the reservoir and elongate tubular members. After insertion of the elongate tubular members into the patient's nostrils, a pressurized fluid is delivered onto a surface of the patient's nasal cavity through a plurality of ports in the elongate tubular members. The delivery of the fluid causes cooling by direct heat transfer through the nasopharynx and hematogenous cooling through the carotids and the Circle of Willis.

Systems and methods for minimally invasively delivering radiation therapy to a patient, e.g., with bladder cancer, is provided. The radiotherapy system includes one or more catheters that may be introduced to a patient's anatomical structure via a sheath using an intracavitary approach. The proximal end of the one or more catheters may be coupled to an afterloader for selectively delivering the radiation therapy, and the distal portion of the one or more catheters is transitionable between an uncoiled delivery state within the sheath and a coiled deployed state having a spherical configuration within the anatomical structure of the patient, such that the one or more catheters contacts at least a portion of the anatomical structure in the deployed state.

Improved systems and methods for extracorporeal blood temperature control and patient temperature control, e.g., for induced hypothermia and optional normothermia, may include or otherwise employ a heat exchanger for cooling/warming of a fluid, a thermal exchange module having fluidly isolated first and second volumes, and a fluid pump for circulating the fluid through the heat exchanger and the first volume of the thermal exchange module. A blood pump may be provided for the flow of blood through the second volume of the thermal exchange module, and a first controller may be provided for providing output signals for use in operation of the heat exchanger to selectively control thermal exchange between the fluid circulated through the first volume of the thermal exchange module and the blood flowed through the second volume of the thermal exchange module, thereby providing for selective cooling/warming of the blood. A multi lumen catheter may be utilized for the flow of blood from a patient vascular system to the second volume of the thermal exchange module, and for flow of blood from the second volume of the thermal exchange module back to the patient vascular system. The circulated fluid may be optionally circulated through a patient contact pad(s) for contact cooling/warming, wherein patient cooling/warming may be provided in a first mode via blood cooling/warming in the thermal exchange module, and patient cooling/warming may be provided in a second mode via thermal exchange by the contact pad(s).

Improved systems and methods for extracorporeal blood temperature control and patient temperature control, e.g., for induced hypothermia and optional normothermia, may include or otherwise employ a heat exchanger for cooling/warming of a fluid, a thermal exchange module having fluidly isolated first and second volumes, and a fluid pump for circulating the fluid through the heat exchanger and the first volume of the thermal exchange module. A blood pump may be provided for the flow of blood through the second volume of the thermal exchange module, and a first controller may be provided for providing output signals for use in operation of the heat exchanger to selectively control thermal exchange between the fluid circulated through the first volume of the thermal exchange module and the blood flowed through the second volume of the thermal exchange module, thereby providing for selective cooling/warming of the blood. A multi lumen catheter may be utilized for the flow of blood from a patient vascular system to the second volume of the thermal exchange module, and for flow of blood from the second volume of the thermal exchange module back to the patient vascular system. The circulated fluid may be optionally circulated through a patient contact pad(s) for contact cooling/warming, wherein patient cooling/warming may be provided in a first mode via blood cooling/warming in the thermal exchange module, and patient cooling/warming may be provided in a second mode via thermal exchange by the contact pad(s).

A heat exchanger is disclosed for causing cryolysis of adipose tissue of a human tongue. The heat exchanger includes a body having cooling channels for circulating fluids therein. The body forms a contact surface that contacts a portion of the dorsal surface of the tongue and a portion of the base of the tongue. The heat exchanger includes a pair of side walls extending from the body and forming a pair of side contact surfaces that are dimensioned so that they contact the dorsal and lateral surfaces of the tongue in a manner so as to constrict the tongue when the contact surface is in contact with the tongue. A method of treatment for apnea using the heat exchanger and/or administering a chemical adipolysis formulation/vasoconstriction agent is also disclosed.

A heat exchanger is disclosed for causing cryolysis of adipose tissue of a human tongue. The heat exchanger includes a body having cooling channels for circulating fluids therein. The body forms a contact surface that contacts a portion of the dorsal surface of the tongue and a portion of the base of the tongue. The heat exchanger includes a pair of side walls extending from the body and forming a pair of side contact surfaces that are dimensioned so that they contact the dorsal and lateral surfaces of the tongue in a manner so as to constrict the tongue when the contact surface is in contact with the tongue. A method of treatment for apnea using the heat exchanger and/or administering a chemical adipolysis formulation/vasoconstriction agent is also disclosed.