Cooling of localized areas of the body for cerebral blood flow augmentation
AssigneeBeneChill, Inc.
InventorsDenise Barbut, Wanchung Tang
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods are described for augmenting cerebral blood flow and altering sympathetic nerve firing and catecholamine release by cooling a part of the body. In particular localized cooling of the nose or mouth is used to augment cerebral blood flow and alter sympathetic nerve firing. By cooling a localized area such as nose or mouth, release of norepinephrine after an ischemic event is inhibited. The methods described may be applied to augment cerebral blood flow and alter catecholamine release, particularly in treatment of stroke, heart attack and transient ischemic event.
Claims20
A method of augmenting cerebral blood flow comprising cooling a part of the body of a patient in need thereof, wherein cooling is discontinuous and is reapplied when the cerebral blood flow falls below a predetermined value.
A method of increasing cerebral blood flow during or after an ischemic event comprising cooling the nose and/or mouth of a patient in need thereof, wherein cooling is discontinuous and is reapplied when the cerebral blood flow falls below a predetermined value, and whereby cerebral blood flow is increased.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.