Patent ID: 7909861

Claim:
A critical care, thermal therapy system utilizing a thermal fluid flow to which a patient is thermally exposed, the system comprising: a recirculating, temperature controlled fluid flow network adapted for patient care; a temperature control module connectable in fluid communication with the temperature controlled fluid flow network for regulating the thermal fluid temperature and flow to the patient; a thermal therapy device adapted for the flow of the thermal fluid therethrough and thermal exposure to the patient, the device being connectable to the temperature control module through the temperature controlled fluid flow network; and at least one temperature sensor in thermal communication with the patient and remotely disposed from the temperature control module; wherein the at least one remotely disposed temperature sensor monitors a select body temperature and sends thermal measurement signals to the temperature control module; wherein, the temperature control module calculates a rate factor and an acceleration factor of the select body temperature; and wherein, responsive to the rate factor and the acceleration factor of the select body temperature, the temperature control module is adapted to increase or decrease the thermal fluid temperature or flow rate in response to the thermal measurement signals from the at least one remotely disposed temperature sensor.