Large surface area temperature sensing device

A temperature probe, comprising:

• an elongate element including a substantially two-dimensional portion with a nonlinear arrangement having a wave configuration and being entirely three-dimensionally deformable to a shape of an interior of a portion of an esophagus of a subject when the nonlinear arrangement is positioned against the interior of the portion of the esophagus, the wave configuration comprising deviations from a longitudinal axis and having an amplitude that defines a width of the nonlinear arrangement;
• and
• a plurality of temperature sensors carried sequentially along a length of the nonlinear arrangement so as to be arranged by the wave configuration in an area array over the interior of the portion of the esophagus.

An apparatus for monitoring a temperature across an area of an interior surface of an organ of a subject, comprising:

• a substantially two-dimensional arrangement having a forked configuration with two or more substantially parallel arms having sufficient flexibility to enable an entirety of the substantially two-dimensional arrangement to reversibly three-dimensionally deform to the area of the interior surface of the organ as the substantially two-dimensional arrangement is positioned against the area of the interior surface of the organ;
• and
• a plurality of temperature sensors arranged across the substantially two-dimensional arrangement to make simultaneous contact with the area or the interior surface of the organ when the substantially two-dimensional arrangement is positioned against the area of the interior surface of the organ, at least one temperature sensor being carried by each arm of the two or more substantially parallel arms, at least one arm of the two or more substantially parallel arms carrying at least two temperature sensors.