Temperature control systems for a support surface

A patient support system for a patient support apparatus including a deck with one or more deck sections, the patient support system comprising:

• a patient support being supported on the deck;
• a thermal control element including a fluid flow path for directing fluid within the thermal control element, the thermal control element including an inlet to receive fluid and direct the fluid to the fluid flow path, the thermal control element including an outlet to receive fluid from the fluid flow path, the thermal control element including a plurality of selectable zones for which fluid flow is selectively enabled and disabled, whereby selectively enabling and disabling fluid flow enables selective cooling with respect to each of the plurality of selectable zones;
• a fluid mover operable to direct fluid to the inlet of the thermal control element and to receive fluid output from the outlet of the thermal control element;
• a heat exchanger operable to change a temperature of fluid directed by the inlet of the thermal control element;
• and
• a control system operable to direct selection of the plurality of selectable zones, the control system operable to direct selective enablement of a first selectable zone of the plurality of selectable zones based on a status of the patient support system.

A patient support system for a patient support apparatus including a deck with one or more deck sections, the patient support system comprising:

• a patient support being supported on the deck;
• a thermal control element operable to affect a temperature of a portion of a patient without significantly affecting a core body temperature of the patient;
• a fluid mover operable to direct fluid to the thermal control element and to receive fluid output from the thermal control element;
• and
• a heat exchanger operable to change a temperature of fluid directed to the thermal control element.