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.

An apparatus and method use a catheter for specific and discriminate treatment of central nervous system disease. With the catheter, selective hypothermia to the brain and/or the spinal cord for injury protection can be achieved without the need for systemic cooling. The catheter is also capable of draining excess cerebrospinal fluid.

An apparatus and method use a catheter for specific and discriminate treatment of central nervous system disease. With the catheter, selective hypothermia to the brain and/or the spinal cord for injury protection can be achieved without the need for systemic cooling. The catheter is also capable of draining excess cerebrospinal fluid.

A device for indirect temperature regulation of the brain of a human via a nasal cavity thereof, the device comprising: a membrane having a membrane surface area, a length, a center point with respect to the length, a width, and a center point with respect to the width, said membrane adapted to be arranged in contact with a surface of the nasal cavity, said membrane defining a closed volume and having the shape of the nasal cavity such that when in use, it expands and conforms to the nasal cavity, a first catheter, a second catheter, and means for circulating said fluid into said volume via said first catheter and out of said volume via said second catheter.

The present invention provides a method and device for non-invasive anatomical and systemic cooling, fluid removal and/or energy removal. The method and device provide for removal of fluid and cooling of various bodily fluid-containing spaces or surfaces, such as mucus-containing spaces or surfaces via delivery of a dry fluid not including a coolant into or upon the mucus-containing space or surface. Exposure of such mucus to the dry fluid results in evaporation of body fluid, removal of energy, cooling of the anatomical feature, and systemic cooling. In this fashion, therapeutic hypothermia may be achieved to provide for neuroprotection of various organs after ischemic insult, such the brain after cardiac arrest. Similarly, excess fluid removal may be achieved for treatment of cardiogenic shock or other conditions that cause significant fluid build-up, especially in cases of compromised renal function. Additionally, the invention may be used to reduce fever, and other conditions where removal of heat, energy and/or water are beneficial.

We report a method of treating an epileptic seizure in a patient, comprising: detecting said epileptic seizure, based on body data from said patient; and reducing a flow of blood to a brain of said patient in response to said detected seizure; wherein said reducing is effected by: increasing the parasympathetic input to said patient's heart, such as by electrically stimulating a parasympathetic nervous structure, applying cooling energy to a sympathetic nervous structure, or administering a cholinergic or a sympatho-blocking agent to said patient. We also report a medical device system configured to implement the method. We also report a non-transitory computer readable program storage unit encoded with instructions that, when executed by a computer, perform the method.

We report a method of treating an epileptic seizure in a patient, comprising: detecting said epileptic seizure, based on body data from said patient; and reducing a flow of blood to a brain of said patient in response to said detected seizure; wherein said reducing is effected by: increasing the parasympathetic input to said patient's heart, such as by electrically stimulating a parasympathetic nervous structure, applying cooling energy to a sympathetic nervous structure, or administering a cholinergic or a sympatho-blocking agent to said patient. We also report a medical device system configured to implement the method. We also report a non-transitory computer readable program storage unit encoded with instructions that, when executed by a computer, perform the method.

A medical cooling device for reducing the body core temperature of a patient and a method for operating the same are provided. The cooling process provided by the medical cooling device is based on the state or degree of shivering of the patient.

A heat transfer device particularly structured for application of thermal therapy from a contact surface to a human ear. A device may be passive (pre-cooled), active (thermoelectrically active), or include elements of both. A device may be structured to apply thermal treatment from a contact surface of a contact cavity only to a localized posterior area relative to the circumference of an ear. Preferably, a device provides an uninterrupted opening extending in a line-of-sight between an ear canal and the local environment. A device may include both of a contact cavity and a bulk cavity, with heat transfer media disposed in each cavity. Typically, a bulk cavity holds at least twice the media volume contained in a contact cavity. The cavities may be disposed in fluid communication, or separated by a barrier to permit only thermal communication there-between. When a barrier is present, a device may include different heat transfer media in each cavity. One or more device may be associated with various mounting structure to dispose a contact surface in contact with desired portion(s) of a head.