Pad designs to improve delivery of temperature therapy
Disclosed herein are systems and methods for providing targeted temperature management (TTM) therapy to a patient. The TTM system can include multiple embodiments of a thermal pad including embodiments that are convertible from a first patient contact area to a second patient contact area. Embodiments of thermal pads can include pads that are expandable, extendable, and/or comprise attachable or removable portions. The TTM system can include embodiments where a second thermal pad is coupled to a first thermal pad.
1 . A medical pad for exchanging thermal energy between a targeted temperature management (TTM) fluid and a patient, the medical pad comprising:
a fluid containing layer for containing the TTM fluid, the fluid containing layer configured for circulating the TTM fluid within the fluid containing layer; and
a patient contact surface defining a patient contact area to facilitate thermal energy exchange with the patient, wherein:
the patient contact area is convertible from a first patient contact area to a second patient contact area,
the second patient contact area is different from the first patient contact area,
the first patient contact area is converted to the second patient contact area when a removable portion having the patient contact area of the medical pad is separated from a remaining portion of the medical pad,
the removable portion comprises a removable fluid containing layer,
the remaining portion comprises a remaining fluid containing layer, and
the medical pad comprises one or more fluid conduits extending between the remaining fluid containing layer and the removable fluid containing layer.
2 . The medical pad of claim 1 , wherein the second patient contact area is at least 10 percent greater than the first patient contact area.
3 . The medical pad of claim 2 , wherein the patient contact area is expandable from the first patient contact area to the second patient contact area.
4 . The medical pad of claim 3 , wherein the patient contact area is expandable along a single dimension.
5 . The medical pad of claim 3 , wherein the medical pad comprises one or more folds to facilitate expansion from the first patient contact area to the second patient contact area.
6 . The medical pad of any of claim 3 , wherein the medical pad comprises a stretchable material to facilitate expansion from the first patient contact area to the second patient contact area.
7 . The medical pad of claim 1 , wherein the medical pad comprises:
a first pad defining the first patient contact area; and
a second pad connectable to the first pad, the second pad including a separate second patient contact area,
wherein when the first patient contact area is converted to the second patient contact area, the second pad is connected to the first pad thereby combining the first patient contact area with the separate second patient contact area to define the second patient contact area.
8 . The medical pad of claim 7 , wherein:
the first pad includes a first fluid containing layer,
the second pad includes a second fluid containing layer, and
when the second pad is connected to the first pad, the second fluid containing layer is fluidly coupled to the first fluid containing layer so that the TTM fluid is circulatable within the second fluid containing layer.
9 . The medical pad of claim 8 , wherein:
the first pad includes at least one first connector including a valve;
the second pad includes at least one second connector, and
when the second pad is connected to the first pad, the at least one first connector is coupled to the at least one second connector and the valve of the at least one first connector is transitioned from a closed state to an opened state.
10 . The medical pad of claim 1 , wherein the removable portion is disposed along an entire circumference of the remaining portion.
11 . The medical pad of claim 1 , wherein each of the one or more fluid conduits comprises a valve, and wherein when the first patient contact area is converted to the second patient contact area a removable portion of the one or more fluid conduits is separated from a remaining portion of the one or more fluid conduits, the remaining portion comprising the valve, and the valve is closed.
12 . The medical pad of claim 1 , wherein the medical pad is configured to be disposed on a bed surface, and wherein the first contact area is defined by a portion of the medical pad disposed between the patient and the bed surface.
13 . The medical pad of claim 12 , wherein the medical pad comprises one or more lateral extensions extending away from the patient along the bed surface, and wherein when the first patient contact area is converted to the second patient contact area at least a portion of the one or more lateral extensions is wrapped around a portion of the patient to define the second patient contact area.
14 . The medical pad of claim 13 , wherein the portion of the patient comprises at least a portion of a torso of the patient.
15 . The medical pad of claim 13 , wherein the medical pad comprises one or more straps to secure the one or more lateral extensions around the portion of the patient.
16 . The medical pad of claim 1 , wherein a first portion of the medical pad comprising a first portion of the patient contact area is separable from a second portion of the medical pad comprising a second portion of the patient contact area, and wherein the first portion of the medical pad is coupled to the second portion of the medical pad via an extendable member, the extendable member including a stretchable material.
17 . The medical pad of claim 16 , wherein the extendable member comprises one or more fluid conduits extending between the first portion of the medical pad and the second portion of the medical pad.
18 . The medical pad of claim 1 , wherein the fluid containing layer comprises a TTM fluid flow path, and wherein the medical pad further comprises a filter disposed in line with the TTM fluid flow path.
19 . A method of providing a targeted temperature management (TTM) therapy to a patient, comprising:
providing a TTM system comprising:
a TTM module configured to provide a TTM fluid;
a first thermal pad comprising:
a fluid containing layer configured to receive the TTM fluid from the TTM module to facilitate thermal energy transfer between the TTM fluid and a patient; and
a thermal conduction layer disposed on a bottom surface of the fluid containing layer; and
a fold extending along a length of the first thermal pad, wherein:
the fold defines a first portion of the first thermal pad and a second portion of the first thermal pad overlapping the first portion of the first thermal pad, and
the first portion and the second portion face a same direction; and
a fluid delivery line (FDL) extending between the TTM module and the first thermal pad, the FDL configured to provide TTM fluid flow between the TTM module and the first thermal pad, wherein:
the first thermal pad further comprises a patient contact surface defining a patient contact area to facilitate thermal energy exchange with the patient,
the patient contact area is convertible from a first patient contact area to a second patient contact area, and
the second patient contact area is different from the first patient contact area;
expanding the first thermal pad along a single dimension to convert the first patient contact area to the second patient contact area;
applying the first thermal pad to the patient; and
delivering the TTM fluid from the TTM module to the first thermal pad.
20 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising stretching a material of the thermal pad to convert the first patient contact area to the second patient contact area.
21 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising coupling a second thermal pad to the first thermal pad, the first thermal pad defining the first patient contact area, so that the first patient contact area is combined with a separate second patient contact area of the second thermal pad to define the second patient contact area, wherein the first thermal pad includes a valve that is opened upon coupling the second thermal pad to the first thermal pad.
22 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising separating a removable portion of the thermal pad from a remaining portion of the thermal pad to convert the first patient contact area to the second patient contact area, the removable portion including a portion of the patient contact surface.