Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. Part H, Journal of engineering in medicine
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Proc Inst Mech Eng H · Jun 2011
Experimental study and model validation of selective spinal cord and brain hypothermia induced by a simple torso-cooling pad.
In vivo experiments have been performed to test the effectiveness of a torso-cooling pad to reduce the temperature in the spinal cord and brain in rats. Coolant was circulated through the cooling pad to provide either mild or moderate cooling. Temperatures in the brain tissue, on the head surface, and on the spine and back surfaces were measured. ⋯ Using experimental data, theoretical models of the rat head and torso were developed to predict the regional temperatures and to validate the rat models. There was good agreement between the theoretical and experimental temperatures in the torso region. Differences between the predicted and measured temperatures in the brain are likely to be the result of imperfect mixing between the cold spinal fluid and the warm cerebrospinal fluid that surrounds the brain.