Apparatus and method for cooling the brain, brain stem and associated neurologic tissues

Apparatus for treating or preventing at least one of brain, brain stem and associated nervous tissue injuries in a mammal suffering from decreased blood flow to the brain, comprising:

• flexible enveloping means for enveloping the head, neck and lower back of a mammal, the enveloping means including outer and inner shells with at least one cavity intermediate the outer and inner shells for holding a coolant fluid within the at least one cavity;
• means for lowering the metabolism of the brain, brain stem and associated tissues of the mammal in communication with the enveloping means and comprising a coolant source that provides a coolant fluid instantaneously chilled upon activation to a temperature sufficient to slow the metabolism of the brain of the mammal a sufficient amount so that the mammal remains neurologically intact while efforts are made to restore regular blood flow to the brain of the mammal.

A method for treating or preventing at least one of brain, brain stem and associated nervous tissue injuries in a mammal suffering from decreased blood flow to the brain, comprising:

• placing over the head, neck and lower back of a mammal a flexible enveloping means, the enveloping means including outer and inner shells with at least one cavity intermediate the outer and inner shells for holding a coolant fluid within the at least one cavity;
• lowering the metabolism of the brain, brain step and associated tissues of the mammal by activating a coolant source in communication with the enveloping means, the coolant source providing a coolant fluid instantaneously chilled upon activation to a temperature sufficient to slow the metabolism of the brain of the mammal a sufficient amount so that the mammal remains neurologically intact while efforts are made to restore regular blood flow to the brain of the mammal.