Method for inducing hypothermia

Abstract

Systems for phase-change particulate slurry cooling equipment and methods to induce hypothermia in a patient through internal and external cooling are provided. Subcutaneous, intravascular, intraperitoneal, gastrointestinal, and lung methods of cooling are carried out using saline ice slurries or other phase-change slurries compatible with human tissue. Perfluorocarbon slurries or other slurry types compatible with human tissue are used for pulmonary cooling. And traditional external cooling methods are improved by utilizing phase-change slurry materials in cooling caps and torso blankets.

1 - 50 . (canceled) 
   
   
       51 . A method of producing a flowable medical phase change particulate ice slurry, the method comprising:
 providing an aqueous solution with a freezing point depressant salt;   cooling the aqueous solution to form ice particles in the aqueous solution; and   maintaining the ice particles in the aqueous solution at a controlled temperature and for a period of time effective to form a flowable ice slurry having about 5 to 74% of ice particles less than 1 mm in size and, a concentration of the freezing point depressant salt of about 0.5 to 6.0%.   
   
   
       52 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein the freezing point depressant salt is sodium chloride. 
   
   
       53 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein the flowable ice slurry has a sodium chloride concentration of about 0.9%. 
   
   
       54 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein the ice particles in the aqueous solution are maintained at about the freezing point temperature of the aqueous solution. 
   
   
       55 . The method of  claim 54 , wherein the ice particles in the aqueous solution are maintained at about the freezing point temperature of the aqueous solution for a time period effective to form the flowable saline ice slurry with at least about 50% ice particles. 
   
   
       56 . The method of  claim 55 , further comprising the step of flowing the flowable ice slurry through a tubing with an inner diameter of 1 to 6 mm at a rate of about 10 to 1000 cc/min. 
   
   
       57 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein the aqueous solution is provided in a closed container. 
   
   
       58 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein the aqueous solution further comprises a sugar or a biologically active compound. 
   
   
       59 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein
 the freezing point depressant salt is sodium chloride;   the ice particles in the flowable ice slurry are ice crystals;   the aqueous solution is maintained at about the freezing point temperature of the aqueous solution for about 15 minutes to form the flowable ice slurry; and   the flowable ice slurry has a sodium chloride concentration of about 0.9% and is flowable through a tubing with an inner diameter of 1 to 6 mm at a rate of about 10 to 1000 cc/min.   
   
   
       60 . A method of producing a flowable medical phase change particulate saline ice slurry, the method comprising:
 providing a saline solution comprising sodium chloride;   cooling the saline solution to form ice particles in the saline solution;   maintaining the ice particles in the saline solution at a controlled temperature and for a period of time effective to increase the size of at least a portion of the ice particles in the saline solution to a maximum size less than about 1 mm and form a flowable saline ice slurry having about 5 to 74% ice particles.   
   
   
       61 . The method of  claim 60 , wherein the flowable saline ice slurry has a sodium chloride concentration of about 0.5 to 6.0%. 
   
   
       62 . The method of  claim 61 , wherein the flowable saline ice slurry has a sodium chloride concentration of about 0.9%. 
   
   
       63 . The method of  claim 60 , wherein the ice particles in the saline solution are maintained at about the freezing point temperature of the saline solution for a period of time effective to form a flowable saline ice slurry having at least about 50% ice particles. 
   
   
       64 . The method of  claim 60 , wherein
 the flowable saline ice slurry has a sodium chloride concentration of about 0.5 to 6.0%;   the ice particles in the saline solution are ice crystals maintained at about the freezing point temperature of the saline solution for a period of time effective to form a flowable saline ice slurry having at least about 50% of the ice crystals; and   the flowable saline ice slurry has a sodium chloride concentration of about 0.9% and is flowable through a tubing with an inner diameter of 1 to 6 mm at a rate of about 10 to 1000 cc/min.   
   
   
       65 . A method of producing a flowable medical phase change particulate saline ice slurry, the method comprising:
 providing a saline solution comprising sodium chloride;   adding ice particles to the saline solution;   maintaining the ice particles in the saline solution at a controlled temperature and for a period of time to provide the ice particles in the saline solution with a maximum size less than about 1 mm and form a flowable saline ice slurry having about 5 to 74% ice particles.   
   
   
       66 . The method of  claim 65 , wherein adding ice particles to the saline solution includes breaking ice into ice particles. 
   
   
       67 . The method of  claim 65 , wherein the flowable saline ice slurry has a sodium chloride concentration of about 0.5 to 6.0%. 
   
   
       68 . The method of  claim 65 , wherein the flowable saline ice slurry has a sodium chloride concentration of about 0.9%. 
   
   
       69 . The method of  claim 65 , wherein the ice particles in the saline solution are maintained at about the freezing point temperature of the saline solution for a period of time to form a flowable saline ice slurry having at least about 50% ice particles. 
   
   
       70 . The method of  claim 66 , wherein
 the freezing point depressant salt is sodium chloride;   the ice particles are maintained at about the freezing point temperature of the saline solution for about 15 minutes to form a flowable saline ice slurry having about 5 to 74% of ice crystals less than 1 mm in size; and   the flowable saline ice slurry has a sodium chloride concentration of about 0.9% and is flowable through a tubing with an inner diameter of 1 to 6 mm.