Therapeutic brain cooling system and spinal cord cooling system
This disclosure relates to a brain cooling and spinal cord cooling system, device or mechanism for use in military helmets, and in an adapted format in non-military helmets. The system is comprised of an inflatable pad, or a set of interconnected pads, attached to the interior surface of the helmet, together with a series of valves that allow cooling gases to be delivered from a high pressure canister. The use of different cooling gases permits the achievement and maintenance of cooling of the brain for 24 to 96 hours at a mild (36° C.) or moderate (33° C.-35° C.) brain hypothermia, which is 1.5° C.-4.5° C. below the core temperature.
1. A helmet for protection of a user's brain, said helmet comprising:
a. a helmet body;
b. one or more inflatable pads attached to, but not comprising a surface of, said helmet body, wherein each of the one or more inflatable pads accommodate an expandable gas-filled balloon;
c. one or more bi-directional pressure-sensitive valves;
d. a temperature-sensitive probe capable of determining the user's brain temperature; and
e. at least one coolant source capable of inflating said inflatable pads with coolant thereby cooling the user's brain; wherein the coolant is a mixture of a liquid and a gas capable of providing a cooling rate to the brain ranging from about 0.1° C. to about 0.5° C./hour.
2. The helmet of claim 1 , wherein the helmet is capable of lowering the user's brain temperature to a mean temperature ranging from about 33° C. to about 36° C.
3. The helmet of claim 2 , wherein the helmet is capable of maintaining the temperature of the user's brain within the range of about 33° C. to about 36° C. for about 24 hours to about 96 hours.
4. The helmet of claim 3 , wherein the helmet is capable of maintaining the temperature of the user's brain within the range of about 33° C. to about 36° C. for about 48 hours to about 72 hours.
5. The helmet of claim 4 , wherein the helmet is capable of maintaining the temperature of the user's brain within the range of about 33° C. to about 36° C. for about 48 hours to about 56 hours.
6. The helmet of claim 1 , wherein the helmet is capable of cooling the user's brain to a mean temperature of about 33° C. to about 36° C. within about 24 hours.
7. The helmet of claim 1 , wherein the helmet is capable of cooling the user's brain to the mean temperature of about 33° C. to about 36° C. within about 48 hours.
8. The helmet of claim 1 , wherein the coolant is capable of providing a cooling rate to the user's brain ranging from about 0.1° C. to about 0.4° C./hour.
9. The helmet of claim 1 , wherein the coolant is capable of providing a cooling rate to the user's brain ranging from about 0.1° C. to about 0.3° C./hour.
10. The helmet of claim 1 , wherein the coolant is capable of providing a cooling rate to the user's brain ranging from about 0.2° C. to about 0.3° C./hour.
11. The helmet of claim 1 , wherein the bi-directional pressure-sensitive valves are positioned at the top and lateral sides of the helmet body.
12. The helmet of claim 1 , wherein the one or more bi-directional pressure-sensitive valves permits a varying amount of gas flow into the inflatable pads.
13. The helmet of claim 1 , further comprising a face-mask attached to the helmet body to create a temperature barrier.
14. The helmet of claim 1 , further comprising a visor attached to the helmet body to create a temperature barrier.
15. The helmet of claim 1 , further comprising one or more inflatable spinal cord straps.
16. The helmet of claim 1 , further comprising a collar adapted to enhance the induction of brain cooling by decreasing the temperature of arterial blood passing through the user's neck.
17. The helmet of claim 1 , wherein the helmet provides uniform cooling to the surface area of the user's brain's frontal, parietal and occipital lobes.
18. The helmet of claim 1 , wherein the helmet body is a military helmet.
19. The helmet of claim 1 , wherein the helmet body is a non-military helmet.
20. A method of treating a user by adapting a helmet body to incorporate a brain cooling system comprising:
a. attaching a plurality of inflatable interconnected pads to a helmet body so that the inflatable interconnected pads do not comprise a surface of said helmet body, wherein each of the one or more inflatable pads accommodate an expandable gas-filled balloon;
b. incorporating one or more bi-directional pressure-sensitive valves into the helmet body;
c. connecting said valves to the inflatable interconnected pads;
d. connecting at least one canister containing cooling gases to said valves;
e. inflating said inflatable interconnected pads with the cooling gases; and
f. monitoring at least one temperature-sensitive probe to determine the user's brain temperature.
21. The method of claim 20 , further comprising lowering the user's brain temperature to a mean temperature ranging from about 33° C. to about 36° C.
22. The method of claim 21 , further comprising maintaining the temperature of the user's brain within the range of about 33° C. to about 36° C.
23. The method of claim 20 , further comprising using a collar to enhance the induction of brain cooling by decreasing the temperature of arterial blood passing through the user's neck.
24. The method of claim 20 , further comprising giving the user an anesthetic.
25. The method of claim 20 , further comprising giving the user an intravenous saline solution.