Rapid Induction of Heterogeneous Ice Nucleation in a Biologically Compatible Coolant

摘要

Therapeutic hypothermia, the reduction of the core body temperature by 3-4℃, is gaining recognition as an important medical treatment. Rapid induction of hypothermia has been achieved in animal research, but it has yet to be achieved clinically using a simple, widely practicable method. Here we characterize a prototype platform technology designed to create a sterile, biologically compatible, high heat capacity coolant for clinical use. The coolant is a specially processed micro-partic-ulate ice saline slurry, that can be easily pumped into a patient through surgical tubing, syringes, or minimally invasive surgical instruments. The device has exhibited three distinct ice production modes. During heterogeneous nucleation, the device begins continuous production of ice slurry that contains ～30% ice by mass within 10 minutes. The nominal ice particle diameter is smaller than 100 urn. This work represents a significant first step toward addressing clinical needs for rapid human cooling.