Therapeutic Hypothermia Pad with Edge Bumper for Skin Irritation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current target temperature management systems cause skin irritation along the edges of adherable pads, which can compromise patient comfort during therapeutic hypothermia treatments.
Innovation Solution
The development of a multilayered pad with a conduit layer, impermeable film, and adherable layer, featuring chamfered or bumper-edged designs, and dimpled surfaces to mitigate skin irritation, along with a transparent construction for visual inspection, integrated into a TTM system with a control module for circulating chilled fluid.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If adherable pads are used to maintain contact for therapeutic hypothermia, then effective thermal conduction is achieved, but skin irritation occurs along the edges of the pads
Solution Approach 1:
The pad incorporates a bumper specifically at the edges to provide localized cushioning where skin irritation occurs, while the central adhesive area maintains direct thermal contact with the patient's body. This local differentiation allows the pad to simultaneously achieve effective thermal conduction and prevent edge-related skin irritation.
Solution Approach 2:
The bumper is integrated into the pad structure in advance, providing protective cushioning at the edges before the pad is applied to the patient. This preemptive cushioning design prevents skin irritation from occurring in the first place, rather than addressing it after the fact.
2Ease of manufacture
If opaque pads are used, then manufacturing is simpler, but visual inspection for skin irritation is prevented
Solution Approach 1:
The pad utilizes transparency (an optical property) to enable visual inspection of the patient's skin underneath. This allows healthcare providers to monitor for skin irritation, redness, or other adverse reactions without removing the pad, while still maintaining the pad's insulating and thermal conduction functions.
3Ease of manufacture
If standard edge design is used, then manufacturing is easier, but patient comfort is reduced due to skin irritation
Solution Approach 1:
The bumper is specifically positioned at the edges of the pad where it contacts the patient's skin, providing localized cushioning exactly where needed for comfort. The rest of the pad maintains its standard adhesive structure for effective thermal contact, thus balancing manufacturing simplicity with enhanced patient comfort at critical areas.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively reduces skin irritation along the edges of the pads, enhancing patient comfort and allowing for visual monitoring, while maintaining effective thermal conduction for therapeutic hypothermia.
Implementation Method 1
maintaining effective thermal conduction for therapeutic hypothermia
Implementation Method 2
The impermeable film is configured to retain the fluid in the conduit layer
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein are systems, pads, and methods thereof for targeted temperature management. A system, for example, can include a control module and a pad. The pad can include a multilayered pad body and one or more comfort-enhancing features integrated into the pad for mitigating or eliminating skin irritation along at least edges of the pad. The multilayered pad body can include a conduit layer, an impermeable film over the conduit layer, and an adherable layer over the impermeable film. The conduit layer can include one or more conduits configured to convey a fluid through the conduit layer. The impermeable film can be configured to retain the fluid in the conduit layer when the fluid is conveyed through the conduit layer. The adherable layer can be configured to adhere to a body portion of a patient. Methods of the systems and pads can include methods of use.