Study of a New Clinical Device for Reducing Body Core Temperature

This is a descriptive, nonrandomized, noninvasive, single-group, single-center pilot study of a Core Cooling System (CCS) device for reducing core body temperature in ICU patients at University Medical Center Brackenridge (UMCB) and Seton Medical Center Austin (SMCA). The proposed research on human subjects will provide data that will be used to improve a specialized human heat transfer technique/device. By stimulating specialized blood vessels (arteriovenous anastomoses) AVAs in the palm of the hand, it is possible to greatly increase local blood flow and thus greatly increase the potential for effective heat transfer between the environment and body. The hypothesis of this trial is that the Core Cooling System (CCS) will prove to be a practical, safe, and effective method to raise or lower body temperature in critically ill patients.