Study of Hypothermia Induced by an Interstitial Cooling Device in Spinal Cord Injury

Previous studies have suggested that systemic hypothermia shortly following an ischemic or traumatic event to the spinal cord provided significant beneficial effects following spinal cord injury (SCI)^1–3. There are two strategies for hypothermia treatment, a systemic and a local cooling. Both strategies have shown neuro-protective effects of SCI in experimental animal models and in patients; however, there is a variety of technical quandaries when applying this principal to the clinical setting, such as the use of special cooling equipment and the special surgery required to functionally implementing them. We are also concerned with the non-uniform cooling rates in the spinal cord and potential risks associated with each procedure. It is important to develop novel cooling methods to reach desired therapeutic effects while ensuring patient safety.