Localized bodily cooling/heating apparatus and method

A system for local exchange of thermal energy with a tissue region of interest, said system comprising:

• a flexible membrane configured for covering said tissue region of interest, said flexible membrane having an exterior side and an interior side;
• a spacing structure for maintaining said interior side of said flexible membrane in a spaced relation with said tissue region of interest, wherein said interior side and said tissue region of interest define a fluid circulation space therebetween;
• at least one fluid inlet communicating with said fluid circulation space;
• at least one fluid outlet communicating with said fluid circulation space, wherein a thermal exchange fluid is circulatable through said fluid circulation space from said at least one fluid inlet to said at least one fluid outlet;
• and
• a pump connectable to said at least one fluid outlet, wherein said pump is operable to circulate the thermal exchange fluid through said fluid circulation space at a gauge pressure no greater than 0.1 psi.

A method for local exchange of thermal energy with a tissue region of interest, said method comprising the steps of:

• covering a tissue region of interest with a flexible membrane, wherein the tissue region of interest and an interior side of the flexible membrane define a fluid circulation space therebetween;
• interconnecting a fluid inlet to the fluid circulation space with a reservoir for fluid flow therebetween, the reservoir containing a thermal exchange fluid;
• coupling a fluid outlet from the fluid circulation space with a pump for fluid flow therebetween;
• and
• operating the pump to draw thermal exchange fluid from the reservoir through the fluid inlet into the fluid circulation space and out through the fluid outlet, wherein the thermal exchange fluid directly contacts the tissue region of interest for exchanging thermal energy therewith.

An apparatus for local exchange of thermal energy with a tissue region of interest, said apparatus comprising:

• a flexible membrane configured for covering said tissue region of interest, said flexible membrane having an exterior side and an interior side;
• a spacing structure for maintaining said interior side in a spaced relation with said tissue region of interest, wherein a fluid circulation space is defined between said interior side and said tissue region of interest;
• a sealable edge configured to provide a seal between a periphery of said flexible membrane and a periphery of said tissue region of interest;
• at least one fluid inlet communicating with said fluid circulation space;
• and
• at least one fluid outlet communicating with said fluid circulation space, wherein a thermal exchange fluid is circulatable through said fluid circulation space from said at least one fluid inlet to said at least one fluid outlet at a predetermined gauge pressure insufficient to break the seal between said periphery of said flexible membrane and said periphery of said tissue region of interest.

A method for local exchange of thermal energy with a tissue region of interest, said method comprising the steps of:

• covering a tissue region of interest with a flexible membrane, wherein the tissue region of interest and an interior side of the flexible membrane define a fluid circulation space therebetween;
• establishing a seal between a sealable edge of the flexible membrane and the periphery of the tissue region of interest by achieving a predetermined gauge pressure within the fluid circulation space;
• and
• circulating a thermal exchange fluid through the fluid circulation space in direct contact with the tissue region of interest for exchanging thermal energy therewith, wherein the thermal exchange fluid is circulated through the fluid circulation space at the predetermined gauge pressure to maintain the seal between the sealable edge and the periphery of the tissue region of interest.