Brain Cooling – the Way Forward?

23/11/2009

A new medical technique involving “hypothermia” may benefit patients who have suffered concussion or coronary failure which can lead to secondary brain damage

New ground-breaking research involves a technique that cools a patient’s brain to minimize damage following a concussion.

Concussion, whatever the cause, can result in permanent impairment of the brain. Studies have shown that concussion leads to structural changes in the brain – in particular a recent publication from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the USA showed that concussion can often result in brain damage.

Scientists are developing a surgical treatment that involves the use of hypothermia in selected areas of the brain. This technique allows surgeons to rapidly preserve the injured area of the brain by lowering its temperature and minimizing damage. The doctors involved believe that the approach could translate into improved outcomes for patients with brain injuries, including athletes, military personnel and trauma patients.

Complications from coronary failure can also lead to severe brain trauma caused by depriving oxygen to the brain, even for a short period. A new device called RhinoChill and produced in the United States by Benchill Inc, is a battery powered device which ambulance personnel can use easily when out and about responding to an emergency. Two prongs running up through the nostrils are attached to a bottle full of liquid coolant. Oxygen bubbles through the bottle, pumping the coolant up the prongs. Each bottle holds enough to chill a person’s brain for 30 minutes, and bottles can be exchanged until a patient reaches the hospital.

The new technological developments are in their early stages but offer hope for faster and more effective preventative care for the future.

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