System and method using the rectal mucosal membrane for inducing hypothermia and warming

1. A method of cooling or warming a portion of a body of a patient comprising:

positioning a head structure within the rectal cavity of a patient proximate to rectal tissue;

delivering fluid to the head structure, which is operable to exchange caloric energy with the head structure;

transferring caloric energy between the head structure and tissue to affect the temperature of the rectal tissue;

reversing the vertebral venous flow of blood through Batson's plexus to direct blood from the rectal tissue to the vertebral structures.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising reversing the vertebral venous flow by applying abdominal pressure to the patient body.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising positioning the proximal structure at least partially within the portion of the rectal cavity drained by the inferior rectal vein.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising positioning the head structure at least partially within the outermost two-thirds of the rectal cavity and affect a portion of the rectal tissue generally drained by at least one of the middle and inferior rectal veins.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising dispensing a vasodilator composition proximate the head structure and onto the rectal tissue.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising delivering cooled fluid to the head structure and absorbing caloric energy from the tissue with the head structure to lower the temperature of the rectal tissue.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising delivering warmed fluid to the head structure and delivering caloric energy to the tissue with the head structure to raise the temperature of the rectal tissue.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the head structure includes a proximal structure and a distal structure, the method further comprising delivering fluid to proximal and distal structures;

transferring caloric energy between the proximal and distal structures and tissue to affect the temperature of the rectal tissue.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising delivering a cooled fluid to the proximal structure and absorbing caloric energy from the tissue with the proximal structure to lower the temperature of the rectal tissue.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising delivering a cooled fluid to the distal structure and absorbing caloric energy from the tissue with the distal structure to lower the temperature of the rectal tissue.

11. The method of claim 8 further comprising delivering a warmed fluid to the proximal structure and delivering caloric energy to the tissue with the proximal structure to raise the temperature of the rectal tissue.

12. The method of claim 8 further comprising delivering a warmed fluid to the distal structure and delivering caloric energy to the tissue with the distal structure to raise the temperature of the rectal tissue.

13. A method of cooling or warming a portion of a body of a patient comprising:

positioning a head structure within the rectal cavity of a patient proximate to rectal tissue;

delivering fluid to the head structure and dispersing the fluid proximate the rectal tissue for transferring caloric energy between the fluid and tissue to affect the temperature of the rectal tissue;

reversing the vertebral venous flow of blood through Batson's plexus to direct blood from the rectal tissue to the vertebral structures.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising reversing the vertebral venous flow by applying abdominal pressure to the patient body.

15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising positioning the head structure at least partially within the outermost two-thirds of the rectal cavity to transfer caloric energy with a portion of the rectal tissue generally drained by at least one of the middle and inferior rectal veins.

16. The method of claim 13 further comprising dispensing a vasodilator composition proximate the head structure and onto the rectal tissue.

17. The method of claim 13 further comprising delivering cooled fluid to the head structure and absorbing caloric energy from the tissue to lower the temperature of the rectal tissue.

18. The method of claim 13 further comprising delivering warmed fluid to the head structure and delivering caloric energy to the tissue to raise the temperature of the rectal tissue.

19. The method of claim 13 wherein the head structure includes a proximal structure and a distal structure, the method further comprising delivering fluid to the proximal and distal structures and dispersing fluid with the proximal structure for transferring caloric energy between the fluid and tissue.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising delivering a cooled fluid to the proximal structure and absorbing caloric energy from the tissue to lower the temperature of the rectal tissue.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising delivering a warmed fluid to the proximal structure and delivering caloric energy to the tissue to raise the temperature of the rectal tissue.

22. The method of claim 19 further comprising collecting dispersed fluid with the distal structure.

23. The method of claim 19 further comprising positioning the proximal structure at least partially within the portion of the rectal cavity drained by the inferior rectal vein.

24. The method of claim 13 further comprising collecting the fluid back into the head structure after it contacts the rectal tissue.

25. A method for cooling or warming the central nervous system in a patient comprising:

cooling or warming rectal mucosal membranes of the rectal cavity; and

reversing the direction of blood flow in the vertebral venous plexus by applying external pressure to the body so as to selectively direct cooled or warmed venous blood to cool the central nervous system.