Temperature control pad for use during medical and surgical procedures

Abstract

A heating or cooling pad device, particularly for use in surgical operations and medical procedures, which has a human shaped pad for receiving a lying body. The heating or cooling pad can be formed from a chemical reaction pack to generate heat or cold. Alternatively, the pad may consist of an inflatable structure which conducts thermally controlled pressurized fluid from an inlet port through a series of interacting channels to an outlet port. The pad might also have a concave curvature on its surface to thereby cradle a patient when inflated. A stiffener might be adhered to the lower surface of the pad. The pad includes a series of hook and pile attachment strips for selectively attaching modular sections of insulated material which can then be used to wrap around and secure the patient lying on the pad. A single piece section of insulated material might also be used underneath the pad, with the section having flaps which extend around to secure and insulate the patient. Additionally, separate torso and headpiece sections of insulated material can be used to facilitate selective access to various parts of the patient, and yet optimize thermal energy conversation in and around the patient.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.