Apparatus, system, and method for convectively and evaporatively cooling a head

A system for cooling a patient's head, comprising:

• a source of a flow of temperature-controlled air;
• a convective device adaptable to the patient's head including an upper sheet and a base sheet connected together at a plurality of locations;
• an air inlet in the convective device for delivering a flow of temperature-controlled air into the convective device;
• an airhose connecting the air source to the air inlet;
• the base sheet including means for exhausting temperature-controlled air from the convective device to convectively cool the patient's head;
• and
• an evaporative cooling element adapted to exhaust fluid to evaporatively cool the patient's head.

A method for convectively and evaporatively cooling a patient's head with a convective system, the convective system including:

• a source of a flow of temperature-controlled air;
• a convective device adaptable to the patient's head;
• an inlet for delivering the flow of temperature-controlled air into the convective device;
• an airhose connecting the source to the inlet;
• means for exhausting temperature-controlled air from the convective device;
• a fluid reservoir;
• and
• an evaporative cooling element adapted to exhaust fluid;
• the method including:
• placing the convective device adjacent the patient's head;
• providing a flow of temperature-controlled air into the convective device;
• providing a fluid to the evaporative cooling element;
• convectively cooling the patient's head by exhausting air from the convective device;
• and
• evaporatively cooling the patient's head by exhausting the fluid from the evaporative cooling element.

A system for cooling a patient's head, comprising:

• a convective device with a base sheet adaptable to the patient's head;
• an evaporative cooling element disposed against the base sheet;
• and
• means for delivering fluid from the evaporative cooling element onto the patient's head.

A method for convectively cooling a patient's head with a convective system, the convective system including:

• a source of a flow of temperature-controlled air;
• a convective device adaptable to the patient's head;
• an inlet for delivering the flow of temperature-controlled air into the convective device;
• an airhose connecting the source to the inlet;
• and
• means for exhausting temperature-controlled air from the convective device;
• the method including:
• placing the convective device adjacent the patient's head;
• providing a flow of temperature-controlled air into the convective device;
• and
• convectively cooling the patient's head by exhausting air from the convective device.