Patent Application

App. No. 11/285,827

Abstract

Claims (53)

1 . A therapy system for therapeutically treating a desired region of the body comprising:

a fluid reservoir for storing a charge of a heat transfer fluid at a non-ambient temperature;

a heat transfer pad conformable to a body region having an ambient temperature, said heat transfer pad including a first pad port, a bladder, and a second pad port and defining a pad flowpath extending in series therethrough;

a first fluid circulation line connectable to said first pad port and in fluid communication with said fluid reservoir for withdrawing said heat transfer fluid from said fluid reservoir and delivering said heat transfer fluid to said heat transfer pad via said first pad port;

a second fluid circulation line connectable to said second pad port and in fluid communication with said fluid reservoir for withdrawing said heat transfer fluid from said heat transfer pad via said second pad port and delivering said heat transfer fluid to said fluid reservoir, wherein said first fluid circulation line, said pad flowpath, and said second fluid circulation line define a system flowpath extending in series therethrough;

a pump including a motor fixed at a set operating speed to define a maximum pump output, wherein said pump is in fluid communication with said fluid reservoir and said first fluid circulation line for driving said heat transfer fluid through said system flowpath against a system resistance to flow; and

a pad flowpath adjustment member positioned in said pad flowpath to adjust said system resistance to flow to an adjusted system resistance to flow, said adjusted system resistance to flow fixing a desired treatment temperature of said heat transfer pad correlated to said body region in response to said heat transfer fluid circulating through said pad flowpath.

2 . The therapy system of claim 1 , wherein said non-ambient temperature is a lower temperature than said ambient temperature of said body region.

3 . The therapy system of claim 1 , wherein said non-ambient temperature is a higher temperature than said ambient temperature of said body region.

4 . The therapy system of claim 1 , wherein said adjusted system resistance to flow is greater than said system resistance to flow.

5 . The therapy system of claim 1 , wherein said desired treatment temperature is indirectly correlated with said adjusted system resistance to flow.

6 . The therapy system of claim 1 , wherein said pump operates at an actual pump output less than said maximum pump output.

7 . The therapy system of claim 1 , wherein said pad flowpath adjustment member is mounted in said second pad port.

8 . The therapy system of claim 1 , wherein said pad flowpath adjustment member is a crimp formed in a wall of said first or second pad port.

9 . The therapy system of claim 1 , wherein said pad flowpath adjustment member is a threaded rod positioned in said first or second pad port.

10 . The therapy system of claim 1 , wherein said pad flowpath adjustment member is a plate or nozzle having an aperture formed therethrough positioned in said first or second pad port.

11 . The therapy system of claim 1 , wherein said pad flowpath adjustment member is a tubing segment of said second pad port having a reduced cross-sectional area relative to said first pad port.

12 . The therapy system of claim 1 , wherein said pad flowpath adjustment member is a tubing segment of said first pad port having a reduced cross-sectional area relative to said second pad port.

13 . A therapy system for therapeutically treating a desired region of the body comprising:

a fluid reservoir for storing a charge of a heat transfer fluid at a non-ambient temperature;

a pad family including a first heat transfer pad having a first geometry and conformable to a first body region having an ambient temperature, said first heat transfer pad including a first pad port, a bladder, and a second pad port and defining a first pad flowpath extending in series therethrough, said pad family further including a second heat transfer pad having a second geometry different from said first geometry and conformable to a second body region having said ambient temperature, said second heat transfer pad including a first pad port, a bladder, and a second pad port and defining a second pad flowpath extending in series therethrough;

a first fluid circulation line connectable to said respective first pad port of said first or second heat transfer pad and in fluid communication with said fluid reservoir for withdrawing said heat transfer fluid from said fluid reservoir and delivering said heat transfer fluid to said first or second heat transfer pad via said respective first pad port;

a second fluid circulation line connectable to said respective second pad port of said first or second heat transfer pad and in fluid communication with said fluid reservoir for withdrawing said heat transfer fluid from said first or second heat transfer pad via said respective second pad port and delivering said heat transfer fluid to said fluid reservoir, wherein said first fluid circulation line, said first pad flowpath, and said second fluid circulation line define a first system flowpath extending in series therethrough, and wherein said first fluid circulation line, said second pad flowpath, and said second fluid circulation line define a second system flowpath extending in series therethrough;

a pump including a motor fixed at a set operating speed to define a maximum pump output, wherein said pump is in fluid communication with said fluid reservoir and said first fluid circulation line for driving said heat transfer fluid through said first or second system flowpath against a system resistance to flow; and

a first pad flowpath adjustment member positioned in said first pad flowpath to adjust said system resistance to flow to a first adjusted system resistance to flow, said first adjusted system resistance to flow fixing a first desired treatment temperature of said first heat transfer pad correlated to said first body region in response to said heat transfer fluid circulating through said first pad flowpath; and

a second pad flowpath adjustment member positioned in said second pad flowpath to adjust said system resistance to flow to a second adjusted system resistance to flow, said second adjusted system resistance to flow fixing a second desired treatment temperature of said second heat transfer pad correlated to said second body region in response to said heat transfer fluid circulating through said second pad flowpath.

14 . The therapy system of claim 13 , wherein said non-ambient temperature is a lower temperature than said ambient temperature of said body region.

15 . The therapy system of claim 13 , wherein said second adjusted resistance to flow is less than said first adjusted system resistance to flow.

16 . The therapy system of claim 13 , wherein said second desired treatment temperature is less than said first desired treatment temperature.

17 . The therapy system of claim 16 , wherein said first body region is an ankle and said second body region is a knee.

18 . The therapy system of claim 13 , wherein said first and-second pad flowpath adjustment members are mounted in said respective second pad ports of said first and second heat transfer pads.

19 . The therapy system of claim 13 , wherein said first or second pad flowpath adjustment member is a threaded rod positioned in said first or second pad port of said first or second heat transfer pad.

20 . A method for therapeutically treating a desired region of the body with a non-ambient temperature treatment fluid comprising:

storing a charge of a heat transfer fluid at a non-ambient temperature in a fluid reservoir;

positioning a heat transfer pad on a body region having an ambient temperature, said heat transfer pad including a first pad port, a bladder, and a second pad port and defining a pad flowpath extending in series therethrough;

connecting a first fluid circulation line in fluid communication with said fluid reservoir to said first pad port;

withdrawing said heat transfer fluid from said fluid reservoir and delivering said heat transfer fluid to said heat transfer pad via said first pad port;

connecting a second fluid circulation line in fluid communication with said fluid reservoir to said second pad port, wherein said first fluid circulation line, said pad flowpath, and said second fluid circulation line define a system flowpath extending in series therethrough;

withdrawing said heat transfer fluid from said heat transfer pad via said second pad port and delivering said heat transfer fluid to said fluid reservoir;

driving said heat transfer fluid through said system flowpath against a system resistance to flow with a pump, wherein said pump includes a motor fixed at a set operating speed defining a maximum pump output and said pump is in fluid communication with said fluid reservoir and said first fluid circulation line; and

positioning a pad flowpath adjustment member in said pad flowpath to adjust said system resistance to flow to an adjusted system resistance to flow, said adjusted system resistance to flow fixing a desired treatment temperature of said heat transfer pad correlated to said body region in response to said heat transfer fluid circulating through said pad flowpath.

21 . The method of claim 20 , wherein said body region is a first body region, said heat transfer pad is a first heat transfer pad, said pad flowpath is a first pad flowpath, said system flowpath is a first system flowpath, said pad flowpath adjustment member is a first pad flowpath adjustment member, said adjusted system resistance to flow is a first adjusted system resistance to flow, and said desired treatment temperature is a first desired treatment temperature, said method further comprising:

positioning a second heat transfer pad on a second body region having said ambient temperature, said second heat transfer pad including a first pad port, a bladder, and a second pad port and defining a second pad flowpath extending in series therethrough;

disconnecting said first fluid circulation line from said first pad port of said first heat transfer pad and reconnecting said first fluid circulation line to said first pad port of said second heat transfer pad;

withdrawing said heat transfer fluid from said fluid reservoir and delivering said heat transfer fluid to said second heat transfer pad via said first pad port of said second heat transfer pad;

disconnecting said second fluid circulation line from said second pad port of said second heat transfer pad and reconnecting said second fluid circulation line to said second pad port of said second heat transfer pad, wherein said first fluid circulation line, said second pad flowpath, and said second fluid circulation line define a second system flowpath extending in series therethrough;

withdrawing said heat transfer fluid from said second heat transfer pad via said second pad port of said second heat transfer pad and delivering said heat transfer fluid to said fluid reservoir;

driving said heat transfer fluid through said second system flowpath against said system resistance to flow with said pump; and

positioning a second pad flowpath adjustment member in said second pad flowpath to adjust said system resistance to flow to a second adjusted system resistance to flow, said second adjusted system resistance to flow fixing a second desired treatment temperature of said second heat transfer pad correlated to said second body region in response to said heat transfer fluid circulating through said second pad flowpath.

22 . The method of claim 20 , wherein said non-ambient temperature is a lower temperature than said ambient temperature of said body region.

23 . The method of claim 21 , wherein said second adjusted resistance to flow is less than said first adjusted system resistance to flow.

24 . The method of claim 21 , wherein said second desired treatment temperature is less than said first desired treatment temperature.

25 . The method of claim 21 , wherein said first body region is an ankle and said second body region is a knee.

Assignments (8)