A thermal control unit for controlling a patient's temperature includes a fluid outlet for delivering temperature-controlled fluid to a patient, a pump, a heat exchanger, and a controller that automatically pauses thermal treatment of the patient prior the patient reaching a target temperature. During the pause, the controller assesses a reaction of the patient and changes a temperature of the fluid only inside the thermal control unit if the patient is likely to reach the target temperature without further thermal treatment. However, if the patient is unlikely to reach the target temperature without further thermal treatment, the controller restarts the thermal treatment. The controller may pause thermal treatment again prior to reaching the target temperature and assess the patient's reaction. In some embodiments, the controller may selectively include and exclude a fluid reservoir in a circulation channel within the thermal control unit.

A patient warming system for stabilizing and/or heating and cooling a patient includes a plurality of solid-surface sections arranged for attachment to a surgical table and a warming pad layer comprising a plurality of warming pads configured for removable connection to the plurality of solid-surface sections. At least one of the plurality of solid-surface sections includes a power connector for connection to an external power source. Each warming pad of the plurality of warming pads includes a foam insulation layer, a distributed heating element layer having a warming-pad power connection for connection to the power connector, an isothermal layer, and a flexible waterproof layer. Power supplied to the warming-pad power connection of the distributed heating element layer of the respective warming pad can be used to provide a user-selected uniform temperature over the surface of the flexible waterproof layer in order to prevent hot spots.

Methods of treating tumors by administering compounds to a patient are provided. Compounds such as pro drugs, e.g., 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA), may be administered to the patient orally, by injection, intravenously, or topically, which then accumulate preferentially as compounds such as protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) in tumor cells. After such accumulation, compounds such as PpIX are then activated in various aspects to treat tumors cells, thereby treating cancer. Cancers such as glioblastoma may be treated.

Disclosed are methods of obtaining zero vergence ultrasound waves for providing sonodynamic therapy with ultrasound waves. The method includes coupling a sonodynamic therapy device with an array of flat piezoelectric transducers to a skin surface. A controller is configured to generate an electrical drive signal at a frequency, modulate the drive signal, and drive the transducer with the modulated drive signal at the frequency to produce a zero vergence ultrasound wave to produce an average acoustic intensity sufficient to activate a sonosensitizer in a treatment region without damaging healthy cells in the treatment region.

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to a warming system. The warming system includes a light device having a light source configured to be positioned proximate to a patient support having a patient support surface. The light source can also be configured to generate infrared radiation. The warming system can also include a flexible sheet having a first side configured to reflect at least some of the generated infrared radiation from the light device toward a portion of the patient support surface.

A warming blanket for warming a patient includes a first sheet including a first major surface of the warming blanket, and a second sheet including a second major surface of the warming blanket. The second sheet is sealingly joined to the first sheet to form one or more inflatable portions between the first and second sheets. An adhesive layer is disposed on the first major surface of the first sheet. A liner assembly is disposed on the adhesive layer opposite to the first major surface and fully covers the adhesive layer. The liner assembly includes a plurality of release liners delimited from each other and releasably bonded to the adhesive layer, such that each release liner is independently removable from the liner assembly to expose a corresponding portion of the adhesive layer. Each of the first sheet, the adhesive layer, and the plurality of release liners is air-permeable.

A heating system comprises a wearable sleeve, a first heating pad associated with a first portion of the wearable sleeve, a second heating pad associated with a second portion of the wearable sleeve, one or more temperature sensors associated with the wearable sleeve, and control circuitry communicatively coupled to the first heating pad, the second heating pad, and the one or more temperature sensors. The control circuitry is configured to receive one or more temperature signals from the one or more temperature sensors, determine a temperature associated with a patient based on the one or more temperature signals, determine that the temperature is less than a target temperature value, and at least partly in response to said determining that the temperature is less than the target temperature value, activate at least one of the first heating pad or the second heating pad.

An endorectal cooling device (ECD) includes an elongated body, a cooling fluid circuit, and a gas bubble removal device. The elongated body includes an insertable portion for insertion into a patient's rectum and an external portion that remains external to the rectum. The cooling fluid circuit is defined in the elongated body from the external portion to the insertable portion and circulates cooling fluid to regulate a temperature of a cooling surface on the insertable portion. The gas bubble removal device can include a coil, a tube, a mesh, and/or a hole that is disposed on or defined in the insertable portion of the elongated body, such as the cooling surface. A low-pressure source, such as a vacuum pump or a Venturi structure, can be fluidly coupled to the gas bubble removal device to remove fluid and bubbles by a suction force after the ECD is inserted into the rectum.

The present invention relates generally to a device and a method that maintains a patient's body temperature during surgical exposure and, more specifically, to a surgical, insulative cap that forms a viewing window and is used in conjunction with a medical temperature trend indicator. The cap is contoured to the patient's head. The instant abstract is neither intended to define the invention disclosed in this specification nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.

A thermal control unit for controlling a patient's temperature includes a fluid outlet for delivering temperature-controlled fluid to a patient, a pump, a heat exchanger, and a controller that automatically pauses thermal treatment of the patient prior the patient reaching a target temperature. During the pause, the controller assesses a reaction of the patient and changes a temperature of the fluid only inside the thermal control unit if the patient is likely to reach the target temperature without further thermal treatment. However, if the patient is unlikely to reach the target temperature without further thermal treatment, the controller restarts the thermal treatment. The controller may pause thermal treatment again prior to reaching the target temperature and assess the patient's reaction. In some embodiments, the controller may selectively include and exclude a fluid reservoir in a circulation channel within the thermal control unit.