US 20050085882A1
(19) United States
(12) Patent Application Publication (io) Pub. No.: US 2005/0085882 Al
Grahn et al. (43) Pub. Date: Apr. 21,2005
(54) METHODS AND DEVICES FOR
MANIPULATING THE
THERMOREGULATORY STATUS OF A
MAMMAL
(76) Inventors: Dennis A. Grahn, Palo Alto, CA (US);
H. Craig Heller, Stanford, CA (US)
Correspondence Address:
BOZICEVIC, FIELD & FRANCIS LLP
1900 UNIVERSITY AVENUE
SUITE 200
EAST PALO ALTO, CA 94303 (US)
(21) Appl. No.: 10/932,344
(22) Filed: Aug. 31, 2004
Related U.S. Application Data
(63) Continuation ol application No. PCT/US02/09772, filed on Mar. 29,2002, which is a continuation-in-part of application No. 09/878,129, filed on Jun. 7, 2001, now Pat. No. 6,602,277.
(60) Provisional application No. 60/210,659, filed on Jun. 9, 2000.
(57) ABSTRACT
Methods and devices for manipulating the thermoregulatory status of a mammal are provided. In the subject methods, thermal energy is transferred between the environment and both of the thoracic/abdominal core body and head of the mammal. In general, thermal energy transfer between thoracic/abdominal core body and the environment occurs under negative pressure conditions. The subject methods and devices can be used to increase the thoracic/abdominal core body temperature of a mammal, in which case thermal energy is introduced into the thoracic/abdominal core body of the mammal and removed from the head of the mammal or cold is merely applied thereto. The subject methods and devices can also be used to reduce the thoracic/abdominal core body temperature of a mammal, in which case thermal energy is removed from the thoracic/abdominal core body of the mammal and introduced into the head of the mammal or heat is merely applied thereto.
