KR20240045172A - Disposable cooling medium and cooling method using the same - Google Patents

Abstract

One embodiment of the present invention is a cooling method of cooling a target area using a medical cooling device, wherein the first cooling method cools the target area to a first target temperature through thermal contact with the target area and a cooling medium. Medical cooling comprising a step, wherein the first cooling step includes starting cooling at a starting temperature different from the first target temperature and gradually controlling the temperature to reach the first target temperature. Provides a method.

Description

Removable cooling medium and cooling method using the same {DISPOSABLE COOLING MEDIUM AND COOLING METHOD USING THE SAME}

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a removable cooling medium and a cooling method using the same.

In general, medical procedures such as surgery or treatment inevitably involve pain. This pain can be eliminated or reduced by blocking nerve transmission through pharmacological anesthesia, but because anesthesia involves side effects, it is limited to cases where long-term surgery or treatment is required, or when the pain is relatively severe. In particular, pharmacological anesthesia has a problem in that the anesthetic agent must be injected using a syringe, which increases the patient's pain by causing additional pain caused by the needle. In addition, injection-based anesthesia requires a certain amount of anesthesia time until the anesthetic effect is exerted, resulting in an inefficient problem of increased surgery or treatment time due to unnecessary waiting time.

Embodiments of the present invention are intended to solve the above problems and provide a removable cooling medium applied to a medical cooling device that quickly and safely anesthetizes the eye using cooling anesthesia and a cooling method using the same.

One embodiment of the present invention is a cooling method of cooling a target area using a medical cooling device, wherein the first cooling method cools the target area to a first target temperature through thermal contact with the target area and a cooling medium. Medical cooling comprising a step, wherein the first cooling step includes starting cooling at a starting temperature different from the first target temperature and gradually controlling the temperature to reach the first target temperature. Provides a method.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the first cooling step may further include cooling the target area at the first target temperature for a predetermined period of time after reaching the first target temperature.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the first target temperature is -100°C to 15°C.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the temperature of the surface of the treatment area of the target area is -50°C to 15°C.

In one embodiment of the present invention, a heating step of heating the cooling medium at 20˚C or higher may be included after the first cooling step.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the cooling medium includes a cooling rod or a coolant, and thermal coupling with the target area is achieved using the cooling rod, first thermal coupling through a contact method with the target area, and Using a coolant, thermal coupling can be performed with the target area by at least one method among second thermal coupling through a non-contact method.

In one embodiment of the present invention, before the first step, a pre-cooling step of performing thermal contact with the target area at a temperature higher than the starting temperature may be further included.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the pre-cooling step may be terminated when a preset time has elapsed or by a user's operation, and the pre-cooling step may be switched to the first cooling step.

In one embodiment of the present invention, a second cooling step of cooling the target area in a different temperature range from the first cooling step may be further included.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the first cooling step may be a step of disinfecting the target area, and the second cooling step may be a step of anesthetizing the target area.

In one embodiment of the present invention, after the first step, a post-cooling step of performing thermal contact with the target area at a temperature higher than the starting temperature may be further included.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the step of drying the cooling device for a preset period may be further included after terminating thermal contact with the target area.

In one embodiment of the present invention, in the first thermal coupling, the cooling temperature can be controlled by controlling the interruption of the voltage applied to the cooling generator connected to the cooling medium.

In one embodiment of the present invention, in the second thermal coupling, the cooling temperature can be controlled by controlling the opening and closing of a valve connected to the coolant injection unit that sprays the coolant.

In one embodiment of the present invention, when controlling the opening and closing of the valve, the opening and closing can be controlled at least once every 30 seconds.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the capacity of the coolant in the storage unit for storing the coolant may be 10 grams or more.

One embodiment of the present invention is a cooling device for cooling a target area, in which a first cooling step is performed to cool the target area to a first target temperature through thermal contact with the target area and a cooling medium. It includes a control unit, wherein the cooling control unit controls the first cooling step to start cooling at a starting temperature different from the first target temperature and gradually control the temperature to reach the first target temperature, The cooling medium includes a cooling rod or a coolant, and is thermally coupled to the target area using the cooling rod, first thermally coupled to the target area through a contact method, and using the coolant to form a thermal connection between the target area and the target area. A medical cooling device is provided that performs thermal coupling using at least one method of second thermal coupling through a non-contact method.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the first target temperature is -100°C to 15°C.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the temperature of the surface of the treatment area of the target area is -50°C to 15°C.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the cooling control unit may further include a pre-cooling step of performing thermal contact with the target area at a temperature higher than the starting temperature before the first step. .

In one embodiment of the present invention, the pre-cooling step may be terminated when a preset time has elapsed or by a user's operation, and the pre-cooling step may be switched to the first cooling step.

Other aspects, features and advantages in addition to those described above will become apparent from the following drawings, claims and detailed description of the invention.

The removable cooling medium according to embodiments of the present invention can perform a rapid cooling action by supplying concentrated cooling energy to the cooling medium that is in contact with the treatment area and performing cooling. In addition, the medical cooling method according to embodiments of the present invention configures the cooling temperature range differently for each stage, thereby minimizing the change in temperature felt by the patient in the cooling area.

1A to 1G are diagrams for explaining the structure of a medical cooling device with a cooling function.
2A to 2C are diagrams for explaining the side cooling structure and method of a medical cooling device.
FIGS. 3A to 3C are diagrams for explaining a balanced cooling and heat dissipation structure of a medical cooling device.
FIGS. 4A and 4B are diagrams for explaining a centralized cooling structure using a cooling medium.
Figures 5A to 5I are diagrams for explaining technologies related to a medical cooling system with a drug injection function and multi-step temperature control technology using the same.

Since the present invention can be modified in various ways and can have various embodiments, specific embodiments will be illustrated in the drawings and described in detail in the detailed description. The effects and features of the present invention and methods for achieving them will become clear by referring to the embodiments described in detail below along with the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below and may be implemented in various forms.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. When describing with reference to the drawings, identical or corresponding components will be assigned the same reference numerals and redundant description thereof will be omitted. .

In the following embodiments, terms such as first and second are used not in a limiting sense but for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another component.

In the following examples, singular terms include plural terms unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

In the following embodiments, terms such as include or have mean that the features or components described in the specification exist, and do not exclude in advance the possibility of adding one or more other features or components.

In the following embodiments, when a part of a film, region, component, etc. is said to be on or on another part, it is not only the case where it is directly on top of the other part, but also when another film, region, component, etc. is interposed between them. Also includes cases where there are.

In the drawings, the sizes of components may be exaggerated or reduced for convenience of explanation. For example, the size and thickness of each component shown in the drawings are arbitrarily shown for convenience of explanation, and the present invention is not necessarily limited to what is shown.

In cases where an embodiment can be implemented differently, a specific process sequence may be performed differently from the described sequence. For example, two processes described in succession may be performed substantially at the same time, or may be performed in an order opposite to that in which they are described.

In the following embodiments, when membranes, regions, components, etc. are connected, not only are the membranes, regions, and components directly connected, but also other membranes, regions, and components are interposed between the membranes, regions, and components. This includes cases where it is indirectly connected. For example, in this specification, when membranes, regions, components, etc. are said to be electrically connected, not only are the membranes, regions, components, etc. directly electrically connected, but also other membranes, regions, components, etc. are interposed between them. This also includes cases of indirect electrical connection.

I. Structure of cooling device

1A to 1G are diagrams for explaining the structure of a medical cooling device with a cooling function.

FIG. 1A is a diagram for explaining a medical cooling system and a medical cooling device having a cooling function, and FIG. 1B is a diagram showing the internal structure of the medical cooling system 1 of FIG. 1A.

1A and 1B, a medical cooling system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a medical cooling device 10 and a cooling medium 20 accommodated in the medical cooling device 10.

The medical cooling system 1 according to embodiments of the present invention cools the cooling medium 20 contained in the medical cooling device 10 by the operation of the medical cooling device 10, thereby thermally connecting with the cooling medium 20. It performs the function of cooling the object being combined. Here, it may include indirect contact or no contact. The medical cooling system 1 according to embodiments of the present invention can perform cooling anesthesia, cooling sterilization, cooling treatment, etc. by cooling the treatment area. In addition, the medical cooling system 1 accommodates the disinfectant or drug in the cooling medium 20 and at the same time adjusts the temperature of the disinfectant and drug independently of the temperature of the cooling medium, so that the disinfectant solution is applied to the treatment area while under cooling anesthesia. It can perform the function of discharging or injecting drugs.

In this specification, the treatment area to be anesthetized using the medical cooling system 1 can be any body part including nerves, for example, the skin, eyes, gums, etc. Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, the description will focus on the case where the medical cooling system 1 is applied to the eye, but it is of course not limited thereto.

In addition, the medical cooling system (1) is used not only for anesthesia using cooling, but also for cases where hemostasis is required, when antibacterial treatment is required, when removing moles, warts, and corns on the skin by freezing local areas, and for hair removal, peeling, and botox. Of course, it can be applied to cases where local anesthesia is required in a relatively short time, such as small-scale laser procedures, etc.

First, describing the medical cooling device 10, the medical cooling device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a main body portion 100, a cooling medium receiving portion 111, a cooling generating portion 113, and heat dissipation. It may include a unit 114 and a blowing unit 150.

The main body portion 100 forms the outer shape of the medical cooling device 10, and other components are accommodated therein. The main body portion 100 may include an opening (op) formed on one side so that a portion of the cooling medium 20 contained in the medical cooling device 10 is exposed to the outside. The main body portion 100 may be made of an elongated body or a non-elongated body. In this specification, an elongated body refers to a structure in which the main body portion 100 is long in the longitudinal direction (x-direction) and includes one end in which a cooling medium is received and the other end opposite to the one end. it means. In contrast, a non-elongated body refers to any structure that is not elongated. Specifically, a non-elongated structure refers to a structure that includes only one end where the cooling medium is accommodated, or two or more ends. Here, the end refers to a portion where one region of the main body portion 100 is no longer connected to other regions.

The main body portion 100 of the medical cooling device 10 according to embodiments of the present invention may have any of an elongated structure and a non-elongated structure. However, for convenience of explanation, the following description will focus on the case where the medical cooling device 10 of the present invention includes a main body portion 100 of a non-elongated body.

FIGS. 1C to 1G are diagrams illustrating various embodiments of the main body portion 100 of FIG. 1A.

Referring to FIGS. 1A to 1G, a medical cooling device 10 according to another embodiment of the present invention may be provided with a main body portion 100 having a non-elongated structure. Non-elongated structures include polygonal structures or curved structures, and the polygonal structures or curved structures may be open or closed.

In this specification, the main body portion 100 of an open structure, as in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1C, has a front end portion (F) in which the cooling medium 20 is accommodated and faces the target area, and a front end portion (F) that is different from the front end portion (F). means having one or more ends disposed in position. The open structure may be a polygonal structure, more specifically an open triangular structure, as shown in FIG. 1C, or may be an open curved structure, as shown in FIG. 1.

Meanwhile, the main body portion 100 of the closed structure includes a front end portion (F) in which the cooling medium 20 is accommodated and faces the target area, as in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1A. The excluded parts are connected and do not further include other ends. As in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1E, the main body portion 100 has a front end portion (F) where the tip of the cooling medium 20 protrudes and is located at one point of the curved structure, and at least one curved It may be connected to the body to form a closed circular structure.

As an embodiment, referring to FIGS. 1A and 1B, the closed main body portion 100 may have a square structure, and the tip of the cooling medium 20 protrudes from one of the corners of the square structure. The front end portion (F) may be disposed. The main body portion 100 of a closed structure may have a plurality of body portions 101, 102, 103, and 104 connected to form a closed structure. The main body portion 100 of the closed structure secures a larger internal space compared to the open structure to accommodate a large capacity battery, and the electronic board portion 198 that performs the function of the control unit can also be designed with sufficient space. Therefore, it can have strengths in terms of heat. At this time, the medical cooling device 10 may further include an external input unit 193 that generates an input signal according to an external input.

For example, as shown in Figure 1b, the main body portion 100 includes a first body portion 101, a second body portion 102, a third body portion 103, and a fourth body portion 104 that are connected to each other. may include. At this time, major components for performing a cooling function, such as a cooling medium receiving portion 111, a cooling generating portion 113, a heat dissipating portion 114, and a blowing portion 150, will be disposed in the first body portion 101. You can. Additionally, a plurality of openings OP may be formed in the first body portion 101 to supply external fluid to the heat dissipation portion 114 and discharge the fluid that has passed through the heat dissipation portion 114.

An electronic board unit 198 that performs a control function is disposed in the second body portion 102, and a power supply portion 191 including a battery capable of wired or wireless charging or replaceable is disposed in the third body portion 103. It can be. The fourth body portion 104 connects the second body portion 102 and the third body portion 103, and connection terminals CN1 and CN2 necessary for charging or communication may be disposed. However, the technical idea of the present invention is not limited to this, and the power supply unit 191 may be located in the second body portion 102 and the electronic board portion 198 may be located in the third body portion 103. am. Additionally, the connection terminals CN1 and CN2 may be provided on the rear side of the third body portion 103. This arrangement structure can be implemented in various embodiments depending on the shape of the main body portion 100.

Meanwhile, in the case of a closed curved structure, the first body portion 101, second body portion 102, third body portion 103, and fourth body portion 104 corresponding to the closed square structure are gently curved. It is made up of one curve and can form one body part. Through this, the main body portion 100 includes components for performing a cooling function such as a cooling medium receiving portion 111, a cooling generating portion 113, a heat dissipating portion 114, and a blowing portion 150, a control portion, A large internal space can be secured to accommodate the power unit.

1F and 1G, the medical cooling device 10 according to another embodiment has a closed structure, and a plurality of body parts 101, 102, 103, and 104 are arranged on the same plane (x-y). Unlike the main body portion 100 of FIG. 1A, which is structured to be connected, some body portions 105 may protrude in another direction (z) intersecting the above-mentioned plane (x-y). As shown in FIG. 1F, a front end portion (F) where the tip of the cooling medium 20 protrudes is disposed on the first body portion 101, and a sixth body connected to the first body portion 101 Part 106 may function as a handle that can be held by a user. At this time, in the case of the main body portion 100 having a closed structure, a fifth body portion 105 connecting the first body portion 101 and the sixth body portion 106 may be provided. When viewed from the rear, 105 may be bent in another direction (z-direction) that intersects the above-described plane (x-y) direction. Through this, the medical cooling device 10 of another embodiment can increase convenience of use by being designed with an ergonomic structure that minimizes interference between the main body portion 100 and the user's wrist.

Meanwhile, the medical cooling system according to an embodiment of the present invention can achieve cooling through thermal coupling with the target area. The above-described thermal bonding may be accomplished by first thermal bonding through a contact method with the target area using a cooling medium 20 in the form of a cooling rod, which will be described later, or by second thermal bonding through a non-contact method with the target region using a coolant. . Here, the second thermal coupling is a non-contact method, and the cooling temperature is controlled by controlling the opening and closing of the valve connected to the coolant injection unit that sprays the coolant. For example, by controlling the opening and closing at least once every 30 seconds, the cooling temperature is controlled. can be controlled. Meanwhile, the coolant storage unit may have a coolant capacity of 10 grams or more. The medical cooling system according to an embodiment of the present invention can cool using either the first thermal coupling or the second thermal coupling as described above, but the description below will focus on the first thermal coupling method. .

II. Side cooling structure and method

2A to 2C are diagrams for explaining the side cooling structure and method of a medical cooling device.

FIG. 2A is a block diagram of the medical cooling system 1 of FIG. 1A, and FIG. 2B is a diagram illustrating some of the components disposed inside the main body portion 100 of the medical cooling device 10 of FIG. 1A. and Figure 2c is a side view of Figure 2b.

Referring to FIGS. 2A to 2C, the cooling medium receiving portion 111 accommodates the cooling medium 20 and is thermally coupled to the cooling medium 20 to transfer cooling energy from the cooling generating portion 113 to the cooling medium 20. ) performs the function of transmitting. The cooling medium receiving portion 111 may be made of a metal material with high thermal conductivity in order to efficiently transfer cooling energy. The cooling medium receiving portion 111 may function as a cooling distributor that distributes the cooling energy collected from the cooling generating portion 113 in a relatively narrow area to a wide area. Through this cooling distributor function, the cooling energy generated in the cooling generator 113 is effectively transferred to the cooling medium 20. The cooling medium accommodating portion 111 may include a plurality of split units 1111 having a contact surface thermally coupled to the cooling medium 20.

Although not shown, the cooling medium accommodating portion 111 may be provided with a lubricating member to easily accommodate the removable cooling medium 20. The lubricating member is formed on at least a portion of the contact surface of the cooling medium accommodating part 111 and performs a lubricating function between the cooling medium accommodating part 111 and the removable cooling medium 20. The lubricating member functions to improve wear resistance in response to repeated replacement of the removable cooling medium (20).

Meanwhile, the cooling generating unit 113 is disposed on a surface different from the contact surface of the plurality of dividing units 1111, and can supply cooling energy to the cooling medium receiving unit 111. In this specification, cooling energy is a concept opposite to the movement of heat. In reality, cooling refers to lowering the temperature of an object through an endothermic reaction. However, for convenience of explanation, it refers to cooling an object through the transfer of cooling energy. Let's define it.

The cooling generating unit 113 may have any form capable of supplying cooling energy to the cooling medium receiving unit 111, and may be composed of one or more cooling elements capable of generating cooling energy. One or more cooling elements may be disposed on the other side of the plurality of division units 1111. The cooling element uses a thermodynamic cycle such as a stirling cooler or vapor compression refrigeration cycle, liquid evaporation, or the Joule-Thomson method using expanding gas. This can generate cooling energy. Additionally, the cooling element may generate cooling energy using liquid nitrogen or carbon dioxide, or may supply cooling energy using a thermoelectric element such as a Peltier element. In the present invention, there are no restrictions on the cooling method of the cooling element, but for convenience of explanation, the following description will focus on the case of using a thermoelectric element.

When the cooling generating unit 113 uses a thermoelectric element, when a current is applied to the thermoelectric element, the surface of the thermoelectric element in contact with the cooling medium receiving part 111 absorbs heat due to the Peltier effect, and the heat dissipating part of the thermoelectric element occurs. The surface in contact with (114) may generate heat. Through this, the heat in the area where the cooling medium 20 and the object come into contact is transferred to the cooling generating unit 113 through the cooling medium 20 and the cooling medium receiving part 111, and this heat is transferred to the heat dissipating part, which will be described later. It can be released to the outside through (114).

The heat dissipating unit 114 may discharge heat generated from the cooling generating unit 113 to the outside. The heat dissipation unit 114 may also be referred to as a heat sink, heat discharge unit, heat dissipation unit, heat dissipation unit, etc. The heat dissipation unit 114 may be made of a thermally conductive material in order to efficiently discharge heat generated in the process of the cooling generation unit 113 generating cooling energy. The heat dissipation unit 114 may be composed of two or more heat dissipation units and may be combined, and may be divided into a number corresponding to the number of the plurality of division units 1111.

The heat dissipation unit 114 is disposed to be spaced apart from the cooling generating unit 113, and is thermally coupled to the cooling generating unit 114 to radiate heat from the cooling generating unit 113 to the outside. The heat dissipation part 114 is disposed behind the cooling medium receiving part 111 and can be thermally coupled to the cooling generating part 113 through the heat transfer medium 116. Meanwhile, a portion of the cooling medium receiving portion 111 may overlap with the cooling medium 20. The cooling generating unit 1113 may be disposed in a portion of the cooling medium receiving portion 111 that does not overlap with the cooling medium 20 and extends along the longitudinal direction (first direction). The first area A1 of the heat transfer medium 116 may be coupled to the cooling medium receiving portion 111 through the coupling portion 112 with the cooling generating portion 113 interposed therebetween.

The heat dissipation unit 114 is composed of a plurality of heat dissipation units, and the number of heat dissipation units may correspond to the number of heat transfer media 116. The plurality of heat dissipation fins 1141 of the heat dissipation portion 114 extend in the longitudinal direction of the first body portion 100A to form two rows, and a blower 150 consisting of at least one fan is between the two rows. ) can be provided.

The heat dissipation unit 114 may include a plurality of heat dissipation fins 1141, and the heat dissipation fins 1141 may be arranged to be spaced apart from each other along the longitudinal direction of the first body portion 100A. At this time, the heat dissipation fins 1141 may be provided in a certain number per unit length, for example, may be provided to have a numerical range of 0.5 fins/mm or more and 1.5 fins/mm or less. If the number of heat dissipation fins 1141 is less than 0.5/mm, the heat transfer area with the fluid is reduced, resulting in lower heat dissipation efficiency. In addition, when the number of heat dissipation fins 1141 exceeds 1.5/mm, the gap through which fluid can flow is too narrow, so heat dissipation efficiency inevitably decreases. Accordingly, the heat dissipation effect of the heat dissipation unit 114 can be maximized by arranging the heat dissipation fins 1141 to have a numerical range of 0.5 fins/mm or more and 1.5 fins/mm or less.

The blower 150 may be disposed inside the body 100 to form a unidirectional air flow. The blowing unit 150 sucks in outside air, cools the heat dissipation unit 114 using the outside air, and then discharges this air. The blowing unit 150 may include a fan, but is not limited thereto, and of course, any device that can generate a one-way air flow, such as a compressed air tank or blower, can be applied.

Specifically, when the medical cooling device 10 is equipped with a blowing unit 150 consisting of at least one fan between two heat radiation fin rows, air flows in a direction that is not parallel to the longitudinal direction of the first body portion 100A. This can be formed. In other words, the blowing unit 150 may form an air flow in a direction that is not parallel to the axial direction of the heat dissipation unit 114. Specifically, the medical cooling device 10 may have an air flow formed in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the first body portion 100A. By constructing a blower between the two heat radiation fin rows composed of heat radiation fins 1141 in this way, a passage through which air flows is formed over a large area and a short distance, thereby maximizing heat transfer between the heat radiation fins 1141 and the air. In addition, when the blower 150 is provided with a plurality of fans, the arrangement direction of the plurality of fans and the axial direction of the heat dissipation unit 114 may be parallel, and the arrangement direction of the plurality of fans and the rotation axis direction of the fan may intersect. can do.

Here, the heat transfer medium 116 connects the cooling generating unit 113 and the heat dissipating part 114 and performs the function of transferring heat from the cooling generating part 113 to the heat dissipating part 114. The heat transfer medium 116 may be a heat pipe or a vapor chamber, and may include a pipe body and a phase change material (PCM) provided inside the pipe body. The pipe body of the heat transfer medium 116 may be made of a material with high thermal conductivity so as to contact the cooling generating unit 113 and effectively transfer the heat generated from the cooling generating unit 113 to the internal phase change material (PCM). A phase change material (PCM) is a material that stores a large amount of thermal energy or releases the stored thermal energy through a phase change process, and the phase change material has a unique heat storage ability.

Meanwhile, the heat transfer medium 116 may be a pipe containing fluid that is forced to flow through a pump or the like. In other words, the heat transfer medium 116 can absorb heat energy from the cooling generator 113 by thermally combining with the second surface 113B of the cooling generator 113 through one area A1. In addition, the heat transfer medium 116 is thermally coupled to the heat dissipation portion 114 through another region A2 extending from one region A1 in the longitudinal direction (first direction) of the cooling medium receiving portion 111, The absorbed heat energy can be released. Here, the other area (A2) of the heat transfer medium 116 may not overlap with the cooling medium receiving portion 111.

The medical cooling device 10 according to this embodiment effectively transfers the heat generated from the cooling generating unit 113 to the heat dissipating unit 114 to the outside by using a heat transfer medium 116 containing a phase change material. can be released. In other words, through the heat transfer performance per unit area of the heat transfer medium 116, which is significantly larger than that of simple copper, the amount of cooling energy generated per unit area of the thermoelectric element used in the cooling generator 113 will be greatly increased when the heat transfer medium is used. You can. Through this, the cooling medium receiving portion 111 can effectively transfer cooling energy to the cooling medium 20 even through a small contact area, thereby increasing the degree of freedom regarding the length of the cooling medium 20.

Meanwhile, the medical cooling device 10 may further include a pressure sensor unit 141 that generates a pressure signal by detecting the pressure applied when the cooling medium 20 contacts the treatment area of the subject. The pressure sensor unit 141 is disposed on the cooling medium receiving part 111 or another component capable of detecting pressure by contact with the cooling medium 20 and can detect the pressure applied from the cooling medium 20. there is.

The medical cooling device 10 may further include a vibration generator 143 that generates vibration through the cooling medium 20. The vibration generator 143 generates vibration while cooling is performed using the cooling medium 20 or a drug is injected, thereby reducing the pain of the patient. The vibration generator 143 can transmit vibration to the cooling medium 20 by generating vibration in the cooling medium accommodating portion 111 that accommodates the cooling medium 20.

Meanwhile, the medical cooling device 10 may further include a temperature sensor unit 145 that detects the temperature of the cooling medium 20 or the cooling medium accommodation unit 111. The temperature sensor unit 145 may be connected to the cooling medium receiving unit 111 to sense the temperature, or may be placed at a location in direct contact with the cooling medium 20 to sense the temperature of the cooling medium 20. Additionally, when the cooling medium 20 is configured to be replaceable, the temperature sensor unit 145 that measures the temperature of the cooling medium 20 may be configured as a non-contact temperature sensor, for example, an infrared sensor.

III. Cooling and heat dissipation structure

FIGS. 3A to 3C are diagrams for explaining a balanced cooling and heat dissipation structure of a medical cooling device.

According to the present invention, for a balanced cooling and heat dissipation structure, it is desirable to have an overall symmetrical structure. The cooling medium accommodating portion 111 is symmetrically provided with a plurality of division units 1111 having a contact surface 111A in thermal contact with the cooling medium 20, and corresponds to the division units 1111 of the symmetrical structure. Thus, a plurality of cooling generating units 113 such as thermoelectric elements may be provided, and heat transfer media 116 such as heat pipes corresponding to the cooling generating units 113 may be configured to be symmetrical.

The heat transfer medium 116 is connected to the heat dissipation unit 114, and the heat dissipation unit 114 consists of a plurality of heat dissipation units. More specifically, the heat dissipation unit provided on the inlet side of the blower and the blower unit It may be composed of a heat dissipation unit provided in the outlet.

In responding to the plurality of symmetrically configured heat transfer media units and the plurality of symmetrically configured heat dissipation units, the plurality of heat transfer media units corresponding to the division units are symmetrically connected to the inflow side heat dissipation unit and the outlet side heat dissipation unit. It is desirable to configure

In the heat dissipation part, the heat dissipation effect may be asymmetric even if the physical structure is symmetrical. That is, in terms of the heat dissipation effect of the heat dissipation unit 114, the heat dissipation effect of the inflow side heat dissipation portion through which air flows in is different from the heat dissipation effect of the outflow side heat dissipation portion through which air flows out. According to the present invention, the heat transfer medium unit corresponding to one division unit is configured to be connected to the air inlet side heat dissipation unit and the air outlet side heat dissipation unit, so that the heat dissipation effect is balanced by using an asymmetric heat dissipation unit. It is possible to radiate heat from the cooling generator effectively and effectively.

Specifically, referring to FIGS. 3A to 3C, the medical cooling device 10-1 may be provided with a cooling medium receiving portion 111 that is thermally coupled to the cooling medium 20. The cooling medium accommodating portion 111 may be composed of a plurality of split units 1111A and 1111B each having a contact surface in thermal contact with the cooling medium 20. As an embodiment, the cooling medium receiving portion 111 includes a first dividing unit 1111A and a second dividing unit ( 1111B) can be provided.

As shown in FIG. 3C, a portion of the first division unit 1111A and the second division unit 1111B may overlap with the cooling medium 20. At this time, the cooling generator 113 may be disposed in a portion of the first division unit 1111A and the second division unit 1111B that does not overlap with the cooling medium 20 and extends along the longitudinal direction (x-direction). there is. The first division unit 1111A and the second division unit 1111B are arranged symmetrically and have the same structure, and will be described below based on the first division unit 1111A.

As an embodiment, there may be two cooling generating units 113 corresponding to one first division unit 1111A. For example, as shown in the drawing, the cooling generating unit 113 is arranged symmetrically with respect to the z-direction with respect to the first division unit 1111A, and the heat dissipating unit 114 each passes through the heat transfer medium 116. ) and heat transfer can occur. The heat transfer medium 116 transfers heat from the cooling generating unit 113 to the heat dissipating unit 114, thereby performing the function of dissipating heat from the cooling generating unit 113.

Meanwhile, the medical cooling device 10-1 may include a blowing unit 150 composed of a plurality of fans. The blower 150 may generate a fluid flow in the first direction (z direction). Here, the first direction (z-direction) may intersect the longitudinal direction (x-direction) of the heat dissipation unit 114. Since the heat dissipation unit 114 has a structure extending in the longitudinal direction (x-direction), its width in the first direction (z-direction) may be smaller than its length in the longitudinal direction (x-direction). Accordingly, the fluid flows in through a large area of the heat dissipation unit 114 and then flows out over a shorter distance, thereby maximizing the heat dissipation efficiency of the heat dissipation unit 114. At this time, the thickness of the fan constituting the blowing unit 150 is configured to be 25 mm or less, and by minimizing the fluid passing distance within the heat dissipating part 114 in the first direction (z direction), the heat dissipating part 114 Heat dissipation efficiency can be maximized.

Meanwhile, when the blower 150 is composed of a plurality of fans, the plurality of fans may generate fluid flows in the same direction, but in another embodiment, they may generate fluid flows in opposite directions. For example, when the blower 150 is equipped with four fans, two fans may generate fluid flow in the z-direction, and the remaining two fans may generate fluid flow in the -z direction. Through this blowing method, the medical cooling device 10-3 can radiate heat from the cooling generating unit 113 in a balanced and efficient manner. However, for convenience of explanation, the following description will focus on the case where a plurality of fans generate fluid flows in the same direction.

The heat dissipation unit 114 may be composed of a plurality of heat dissipation units. As an embodiment, the heat dissipation unit 114 may include a plurality of heat dissipation units corresponding to the number of heat transfer media 116. As another embodiment, the heat dissipation unit 114 may be provided with a first heat dissipation unit 114A and a second heat dissipation unit 114B that are symmetrically arranged with respect to the first direction (z) with respect to the blower 150. You can. When the blower 150 generates a flow of fluid in the first direction (z), the first heat dissipation unit 114A corresponds to the inlet side heat dissipation unit, and the second heat dissipation unit 114B corresponds to the outflow side heat dissipation unit. It may apply. However, since the positions of the inlet-side heat dissipation unit and the outlet-side heat dissipation unit may vary depending on the flow direction of the fluid generated by the blower 150, the present invention is not limited by the fluid flow direction shown in the drawing.

As described above, even though the heat dissipation unit 114 has a physically symmetrical structure, the heat dissipation effect of the first heat dissipation unit 114A, which is the inflow side heat dissipation unit, and the second heat dissipation unit 114B, which is the outlet heat dissipation unit, is may be different. Specifically, in the case of the inflow-side heat dissipation unit, external cold fluid continuously flows in, while in the case of the outflow-side heat dissipation unit, relatively hotter fluid than the external fluid passes through due to heat transfer in the heat dissipation unit 114. Therefore, the heat dissipation effect of the inlet-side heat dissipation unit may be relatively greater than the heat dissipation effect of the outlet-side heat dissipation unit.

At this time, the first division unit 1111A may be symmetrically connected to the first heat dissipation unit 114A and the second heat dissipation unit 114B by a plurality of heat transfer media 116. For example, the first division unit 1111A is connected to the first heat dissipation unit 114A through the first heat transfer medium 1161 with the cooling generating unit 113 interposed therebetween, and the second heat transfer medium ( It can be connected to the second heat dissipation unit (114B) through 1163). Therefore, one first division unit (1111A) can be connected to both the first heat dissipation unit (114A) and the second heat dissipation unit (114B), which have an asymmetric heat dissipation effect, and thereby provide balanced thermal energy with the cooling medium 20. Combination may be possible.

Likewise, the second division unit 1111B may also be connected to both the first heat dissipation unit 114A and the second heat dissipation unit 114B using the second heat transfer medium 1162 and the fourth heat transfer medium 1164. The cooling medium accommodating portion 111 may symmetrically transmit cooling energy to the cooling medium 20 using the first dividing unit 1111A and the second dividing unit 1111B that are symmetrically arranged. Through this, the cooling medium 20 can cool the target area in a balanced and efficient manner without deviation in the degree of cooling.

IV. Cooling medium and cooling tip structure and function

FIGS. 4A and 4B are diagrams for explaining a centralized cooling structure using a cooling medium. Hereinafter, the cooling medium 20 of the medical cooling system 1 will be described.

Figure 4a is a perspective view showing a removable cooling medium 20 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 14b shows an excerpt of a medical cooling device to explain the centralized cooling structure using the removable cooling medium 20. It is a drawing.

Basically, the removable cooling medium 20 and the medical cooling system 1 including the same according to an embodiment of the present invention have a large area through the cooling medium receiving part 111 consisting of a single or plural split unit 1111. Cooling energy is collected from and concentrated on a small area of the tip 225 of the removable cooling medium 20. Through this, the medical cooling system 1 can perform cooling anesthesia by effectively cooling the treatment area. At this time, the removable cooling medium 20 is easily separated from the medical cooling device 10 to minimize the risk of infection.

The function of the removable cooling medium 20 is primarily to cool a target area such as the eye. In this specification, the cooling medium 20 is detachably mounted on the medical cooling device 10 and may be a removable cooling medium that is disposable. However, the spirit of the present invention is not limited thereto, and the cooling medium 20 is a component that is accommodated in the medical cooling device 10 and performs a cooling function, and does not necessarily need to be provided in a detachable manner. However, hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, cooling medium, removable cooling medium, and disposable cooling medium can be used interchangeably, and all will be described as referring to the same component.

Referring to FIG. 4A, the removable cooling medium 20 may include an insertion area 210 and a non-insertion area 220. The removable cooling medium 920 may be inserted into the cooling medium receiving portion 111 of the medical cooling device 10 through the insertion area 210. Additionally, the removable cooling medium 20 may perform a cooling function by contacting the target area through the tip portion 225 provided in the non-insertion area 220.

The insertion area 210 is inserted into the medical cooling device 10, specifically the cooling medium receiving part 111, and performs the function of transferring the cooling energy transmitted from the cooling medium receiving part 111 to the non-insertion area 220. do. The insertion area 210 can receive cooling energy through the area of the outer surface S2 in thermal contact with the cooling medium receiving portion 111.

The non-insertion area 220 is not inserted into the medical cooling device 10 and may have a tip portion 225 at the end E1 that is in thermal contact with the target area. The non-insertion area 220 may extend from the insertion area 210 along the axial direction AX1, and may be formed to have a smaller diameter toward the end E1. When viewed in a cross section parallel to the axial direction (AX1), it may be formed to be tapered to a certain degree.

The tip portion 225 provided at the end (E1) of the non-insertion area 220 contacts a target area such as the eye, and inserts the cooling energy generated by the cooling generator 113 of the medical cooling device 10 as described above. It is received from area 210 and performs the function of cooling the target area. Expressed from another perspective, the tip portion 225 contacts a target area, such as an eye, and transfers heat from the target area to the medical cooling device 10, thereby serving to cool the target area.

In the drawing, the shape of the tip portion 225 is shown as a circular shape, but the spirit of the present invention is not limited thereto, and it can be formed in various shapes that can efficiently perform cooling by contacting the target area. Additionally, the area S1 of the tip 225 may be equal to or smaller than the area of the target area, such as the eyeball. Through this, the removable cooling medium 20 allows cooling to be performed intensively in local areas.

Meanwhile, the removable cooling medium 20 may be made of a material with high thermal conductivity in order to effectively transfer cooling energy from the medical cooling device 10. For example, the removable cooling medium 20 may be made of gold (Ag) or silver. It may include (Au), copper (Cu), aluminum (Al), etc. Additionally, in the drawing, the insertion area 210 and the non-insertion area 220 are shown as being formed as one piece, but the insertion area 210 and the non-insertion area 220 may be manufactured as separate parts and then combined. . Additionally, the insertion area 210 and the non-insertion area 220 may be made of the same material, but of course they may also be made of different materials. Additionally, the tip 225 may be coated with a material containing a hydrophobic polymer to minimize the formation of ice crystals due to cooling. Here, the insertion area 210 and the non-insertion area 220 of the removable cooling medium 20 may function as a kind of heat flux distributor.

On the other hand, the length or structure of the cooling medium may change depending on the target area, that is, the treatment or surgical area. If the length of the cooling medium is long for smooth contact with the target area, a removable cooling medium such as a heat pipe may be used. It can be implemented as a heat transfer medium. Through this structure, the temperature difference at the tip of the shape can be minimized.

According to one embodiment, when the cooling medium is implemented as a disposable tip with a heat pipe structure, for example, it is composed of a heat pipe with a thermal conductivity of 5000 W/m-K, and performance degradation can be minimized despite the long shape. there is.

In addition, since the heat pipe operates in a cooling or freezing environment, it is desirable to implement the heat pipe using a refrigerant that operates at a temperature below freezing point. For example, when ethylene glycol is used as the refrigerant, the heat pipe of ethylene glycol By adjusting the concentration, the freezing point of the refrigerant can be optimized in response to the cooling treatment area. Of course, the freezing point can be optimized by using various other refrigerants, such as ammonia or methanol, which are heat pipe refrigerants suitable for temperatures below the freezing point, in addition to the ethylene glycol. For example, the operating temperature range of the heat pipe may be the second temperature range, and as described below, depending on the purpose of the procedure, -90˚C or more and 0˚C or less or -50˚C or more and 0˚C. It may have the following range.

Meanwhile, referring to FIG. 4b, the removable cooling medium 20 according to an embodiment of the present invention collects cooling energy from a large area through the cooling medium receiving portion 111 composed of a single or plural split unit 1111. As a result, it is concentrated in a small area of the tip 225 of the removable cooling medium 20. At this time, the removable cooling medium 20 may be provided with a cooling concentration portion CO1 in one area of the distal end 225 that protrudes outward from the surface of the distal end 225.

As described above, the removable cooling medium 20 concentrates the cooling energy collected over a large area into a small area of the tip 225. In particular, the cooling concentration part (cooling concentration part) has a structure that protrudes outward from the tip 225. By further providing CO1), cooling energy can be further concentrated through a narrow area of the cooling concentration portion (CO1). In addition, the cooling concentration part (CO1) has a structure that protrudes outward from the distal end 225, so when the operator touches the distal end 225 of the removable cooling medium 20 to the treatment area, the cooling concentration part (CO1) is located in the target area through the protruding part. Maximum pressure can be applied at the corresponding location. Accordingly, the cooling concentration unit CO1 can maximize cooling energy to the corresponding position compared to other areas of the tip 225.

Here, the position corresponding to the cooling concentration area (CO1) in the target area may coincide with the scanning position. In other words, the cooling concentration unit (CO1) delivers maximum cooling energy to the injection location in the target area, making it possible to more effectively anesthetize the location where pain is actually caused by the injection needle.

To this end, in one embodiment, the cooling concentration portion CO1 may be formed of a protrusion located at the center of the tip portion 225. FIG. 14 shows a cooling concentration portion (CO1) formed in a protrusion shape without a hole through which a needle penetrates the distal end portion (225). However, the present invention is not limited to this, and as another embodiment, when the removable cooling medium 20 is in the form of a cartridge that stores the chemical liquid and then injects the chemical liquid using a needle disposed inside the cooling medium 20, the tip portion A through hole through which the injection needle passes may be formed at 225, and in this case, the center of the cooling concentration portion (CO1) and the center of the injection needle may coincide. In other words, the surrounding area adjacent to the through hole through which the injection needle passes has a structure that protrudes outwards compared to other areas of the distal end 225, thereby forming the cooling concentration area CO1.

Additionally, the cooling concentration portion CO1 may have a protrusion shape whose cross-sectional area becomes smaller as it moves outward from the tip portion 225. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the cooling concentration portion CO1 may have a constant cross-sectional area with respect to the direction in which it protrudes outward. Additionally, the cross-section of the cooling concentration portion CO1 in the protrusion direction may have various shapes, for example, one of square, triangular, and circular shapes.

As described above, the removable cooling medium 20 according to an embodiment of the present invention has a protruding cooling concentration portion (CO1) formed at the tip portion 225, so that maximum cooling energy can be delivered by concentrating on the injection site. Therefore, the cooling anesthesia effect can be maximized.

V. Drug injection structure and temperature control

Figures 5A to 5I are diagrams for explaining technologies related to a medical cooling system with a drug injection function and multi-step temperature control technology using the same.

The medical cooling system 1 according to another embodiment primarily performs a cooling function in the target area and secondarily performs a function of injecting drugs for injection. Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, the same reference numerals refer to the same components and overlapping descriptions are omitted.

FIG. 5A is a block diagram of a medical cooling system 1 according to another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5B shows one embodiment of a removable cooling medium 20 of the medical cooling system 1 according to another embodiment of the present invention. It is a cross-sectional view, and FIGS. 5C and 5D are diagrams for explaining technology related to the actuator of a medical cooling device.

5A and 5B, a medical cooling system 1 according to another embodiment of the present invention includes a medical cooling device 10 and a removable cooling medium 20 accommodated in the medical cooling device 10. .

The medical cooling device 10 may further include an injection unit 160.

The injection unit 160 applies pressure to the removable cooling medium 20 to discharge the chemical liquid from the chemical liquid storage unit provided in the removable cooling medium 20 to the outside. The injection unit 160 may include an actuator. As an example, the injection unit 160 may include a first actuator 161 and a second actuator 163. In addition, the injection unit 160 is a first injection unit 1611, which moves linearly in the drive shaft direction according to the driving of the first actuator 161, and a linear movement in the drive shaft direction according to the driving of the second actuator 163. It may include a second injection unit 1631. Alternatively, at least one of the drive shaft of the first actuator 161 and the drive shaft of the second actuator 163 may be coupled to the movement axis along which the first injection unit 1611 or the second injection unit 1631 moves through a link. there is. The link performs the function of converting the rotational movement of the first actuator 161 or the second actuator 163 into linear movement, and may be provided in more than one link. Due to the link, the drive shaft of the first actuator 161 or the drive shaft of the second actuator 163 may not be parallel to the movement axis along which the first injection unit 1611 or the second injection unit 1631 moves. Alternatively, the drive shaft of the first actuator 161 or the drive shaft of the second actuator 163 may be composed of the above-mentioned link.

Meanwhile, the removable cooling medium 20 may include a main body portion 200 and a first chemical storage portion 240.

The main body 200 may be detachably mounted on the medical cooling device 10. The main body portion 200 may refer to the body of the removable cooling medium 20 including the insertion area 210 and the non-insertion area 220 of the removable cooling medium 20 described above. The main body 200 is in contact with the target area and can perform the cooling function of the above-mentioned removable cooling medium 20 and at the same time perform the function of discharging or injecting the chemical liquid stored inside into the target area. Therefore, in this embodiment, the removable cooling medium 20 has the same components as those provided for the cooling function of the removable cooling medium 20 of the above-described embodiment, so overlapping descriptions will be omitted.

The main body 200 may be provided with a distal end 225 of FIG. 13 at its distal end. At this time, the discharge portion 205 may be disposed at the distal end 225. Although not shown, a needle hole (not shown) may be formed in the distal end 225 that penetrates the main body 200 to allow the injection needle 247 to pass, and may be formed with a certain diameter at a position corresponding to the needle hole (not shown). A tube-shaped discharge portion 205 may be disposed. The discharge unit 205 functions as a fixed injection needle.

The first chemical storage unit 240 stores the first chemical liquid 241 for injection into the target area, and may be movably disposed within the main body 200. Although not shown, a hollow part (not shown) may be formed inside the main body 200 so that the first chemical liquid storage part 240 can be moved, and the first chemical liquid storage part 240 may be formed in a hollow part (not shown). You can move along.

Specifically, the first chemical storage unit 240 may include an injection needle 247 at one end for injecting the first chemical liquid 241. The injection needle 247 may be arranged to have an axis parallel to the discharge portion 205, and may move together with the first chemical liquid storage portion 240 when it moves along the axial direction of the main body portion 200. The injection needle 247 functions as a mobile injection needle.

Meanwhile, the first chemical storage unit 240 may include an injector 245 disposed on an extension of the central axis. The injector 245 can be moved by an actuator linked to the injector 245 when the removable cooling medium 20 is mounted on the medical cooling device 10. The first chemical liquid storage unit 240 can push the first chemical liquid outward by moving the injector 245 disposed therein by the actuator of the medical cooling device 10.

As another example, the removable cooling medium 20 may further include a second chemical liquid storage unit 250 that stores the second chemical liquid 251. The second chemical storage unit 250 may be arranged in line with the first chemical storage unit 240 along the axial direction of the main body 200. The second chemical storage unit 250 may be disposed closer to the distal end 225 than the first chemical storage unit 240. At this time, the removable cooling medium 20 performs the function of injecting a plurality of chemical solutions into the target area. The second chemical liquid storage unit 250 may push the second chemical liquid 251 contained therein to the outside by moving the first chemical liquid storage unit 240. Here, the first chemical solution 241 and the second chemical solution 251 may be different chemicals. For example, the first chemical solution 241 may contain a therapeutic agent, and the second chemical solution 251 may contain a disinfectant.

Hereinafter, with reference to FIGS. 5C and 5D, the drug injection process of the removable cooling medium 20 according to the actuator operation will be described.

First, the removable cooling medium 20 is inserted into the cooling medium receiving portion 111 of the medical cooling device 10 to enter the state shown in FIG. 5C. In the state shown in FIG. 5C, when the second injection unit 1631 moves linearly in the direction of arrow A, the second injection unit 1631 and the first injection unit 1611 move together, and the first chemical liquid storage unit ( 240) is pushed out. At this time, the injection needle 247 disposed at one end of the first chemical storage portion 240 also moves, and in the middle, the injection needle 247 is inserted through the needle hole (H1) to seal the sealing film 207. It will tear. Accordingly, the second chemical liquid 251 accommodated in the second chemical liquid storage unit 250 can be injected into the target area through the needle hole H1.

In the same state as shown in FIG. 5D, this time, when the first actuator 161 is driven and the first injection unit 1611 moves linearly in the direction of arrow B, as shown, the first injection unit 1611 is the first injection unit 1611. The injector 245 disposed inside the chemical storage unit 240 is pressurized. Accordingly, the first chemical solution 241 contained in the first chemical storage unit 240 can be injected into the target area through the injection needle 247.

As described above, the medical cooling system 1 according to embodiments of the present invention can perform rapid cooling by supplying concentrated cooling energy to the cooling medium that is in contact with the treatment area and performing cooling. In addition, the medical cooling system 1 according to embodiments of the present invention can inject a medicinal solution after local anesthesia of the treatment area through cooling, thereby reducing the patient's pain.

The medical cooling system 1 having the above configuration can cool the target area according to the purpose by controlling the temperature through the control unit 170.

Hereinafter, a cooling protocol using multi-step temperature control using the control unit 170 will be described.

The control unit 170 may control the operation of the cooling generation unit 113 based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor unit 145. For example, the control unit 170 performs cooling anesthesia based on the ambient air temperature provided from the temperature sensor unit 145, the temperature of the cooling medium 20, or the air temperature and the temperature of the cooling medium 20, etc. can be controlled. The control unit 170 can control the temperature of the cooling medium 20 by controlling the operation of the cooling generation unit 113 based on the temperature measurement signal provided from the temperature sensor unit 145. Specifically, the medical cooling system 1 according to embodiments of the present invention can control the cooling medium 20 by selectively setting the temperature range depending on the purpose in the temperature range of -100 ° C to 15 ° C. Through the above temperature control, the medical cooling system 1 can perform a cooling action while controlling the surface of the treatment area to a temperature range of -50°C to 15°C.

Additionally, the control unit 170 may control the cooling generating unit 113 to maintain the cooling medium 20 at a constant temperature during the time during which cooling anesthesia is performed. As another embodiment, the control unit 170 controls the cooling generation unit 113 so that two or more temperature values are set in advance and the cooling medium 20 has each temperature value sequentially or periodically during the time during which cooling is performed. can do.

The control unit 170 can prevent excessive cooling of the treatment area through controls such as turning off the power of the cooling generator 113 when the preset temperature or time exceeds the preset temperature or time. This is only one embodiment, and of course, the temperature and time can be set in advance to various ranges.

Here, the control unit 170 may include all types of devices that can process data, such as a processor. Here, 'processor' may mean, for example, a data processing device built into hardware that has a physically structured circuit to perform a function expressed by code or instructions included in a program. Examples of data processing devices built into hardware include a microprocessor, central processing unit (CPU), processor core, multiprocessor, and application-specific integrated (ASIC). circuit) and FPGA (field programmable gate array), etc., but the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto.

Additionally, the control unit 170 may control the time for performing cooling anesthesia based on the pressure signal provided from the pressure sensor unit 141. The control unit 170 receives a pressure measurement signal from the pressure sensor unit 141, and if the value is greater than a preset reference value, the control unit 170 may determine that the distal end 225 of the cooling medium 20 has contacted the patient's treatment area. At this time, the control unit 170 checks the time and temperature measurement signal while in contact with the patient's treatment area, and when the temperature is cooled to a preset range for a certain period of time, it can determine that anesthesia has been completed in the patient's treatment area. .

FIG. 5E is a conceptual diagram for explaining the overall temperature protocol using a medical cooling system, and FIG. 5F is a diagram for explaining the attaching step (S-1) in the overall temperature protocol of FIG. 5E. FIGS. 5G and 5H are diagrams for explaining the detaching step (S-4) in the overall temperature protocol of FIG. 5E, and FIG. 5I is a diagram for explaining the drying step (S-5) in the overall temperature protocol of FIG. 5E. am.

Referring to Figure 5e, the overall temperature protocol using a medical cooling system according to another embodiment of the present invention includes an attaching step (S-1), a cooling disinfection step (S-2), a cooling anesthesia step (S-3), It may include a detaching step (S-41, S-42) and a drying step (S-5). The height difference between each stage shown in the drawing represents the relative difference in temperature at each stage. Here, the entire temperature protocol using the medical cooling system does not necessarily need to include all the steps shown, and of course can be performed by selecting the steps necessary for each individual procedure. At this time, the cooling method using a medical cooling system can perform the remaining steps while maintaining the relative temperature difference even if some of the steps are omitted.

First, the attaching step (S-1) will be described with reference to FIG. 5F.

When an operator uses a medical cooling system to directly contact the cooled cooling medium to the patient's target area, the contact area may stick to the cooling medium due to the rapid temperature difference between the target area and the cooling medium. The attaching step (S-1) according to the present invention is intended to solve the above-described problem even when the operator uses a medical cooling system without preparation as described above, and the cooling medium is cooled and disinfected in the step (S-2). It can be controlled to maintain a temperature higher than the temperature at. At this time, the temperature range in the attaching step (S-1) may be -10°C or higher. Additionally, the temperature range in the attaching step (S-1) may be -5°C or higher.

Meanwhile, the medical cooling system according to another embodiment of the present invention may further include a timer (not shown). As mentioned above, in the medical cooling system, in order to prevent problems when the cooled cooling medium comes into contact with the patient's target area when the operator is not prepared, the cooling medium attaches even if the operator presses the power button for the procedure. After controlling to maintain the step (S-1), control is performed to proceed to the cooling disinfection step (S-2) after a certain period of time (T1) using a timer (not shown) in which a preset time is stored. You can. At this time, the disinfection step (S-2) can be skipped and the cooling anesthesia step (S-3) can be moved directly to. In other words, the medical cooling system can control the cooling temperature of the cooling medium before contacting the target area, which is the treatment area, so that the cooling temperature of the cooling medium after driving the timer is different from each other. Alternatively, the medical cooling system may have a temperature in the attaching step (S-1) that is different from the temperature in the cooling disinfection step (S-2) or the temperature in the cooling anesthesia step (S-3). In another embodiment, it is natural that the medical cooling system may be terminated by user operation rather than being terminated after a preset time has elapsed.

At this time, the overall temperature protocol using a medical cooling system may have a gradual temperature section (Gd) with a gentle temperature change gradient from the attaching step (S-1) to the cooling disinfection step (S-2). In other words, the overall temperature protocol gradually reaches the final cooling target temperature by gradually inducing a temperature change in each section from the attaching stage (S-1) to the cooling disinfection stage (S-2), thereby smoothly By minimizing the change in perceived temperature, discomfort can be minimized.

Thereafter, the cooling disinfection step (S-2) may be a step of disinfecting the target area at a lower cooling temperature than the attaching step (S-1) using a medical cooling system. The cooling disinfection step (S-2) can be performed in a temperature range that can kill or reduce the activity of bacteria that may be present in the target area, that is, the skin surface of the treatment area. The cooling method according to one embodiment is to cool the target area by applying a third temperature range of -2°C or lower, for example, a third temperature range of -90°C to -2°C, thereby eradicating or deactivating the bacteria. You can anesthetize the target area by lowering it or disinfect it before injecting a chemical solution into the target area. However, the technical idea of the present invention is not limited thereto, and the third temperature range may be determined by considering the sterilizable temperature range existing in the target area. At this time, the cooling disinfection step (S-2) may have a lower temperature range than the minimum temperature in the cooling anesthesia step (S-3). Since the temperature at the disinfection stage is aimed at sterilizing bacteria or reducing their activity, it should be lower than the temperature range at which actual anesthesia is performed.

Thereafter, in the cooling anesthesia step (S-3), anesthesia can be performed by cooling the target area in a preset temperature range. The temperature range in the cooling anesthesia step (S-3) may be a temperature range of more than -2°C and below 0°C, which is higher than the temperature range in the cooling disinfection step (S-2).

Next, the detaching step (S-42) will be described with reference to FIGS. 5G and 5H.

The detaching step (S-42) refers to the step of separating the medical cooling device from the target area after performing the cooling anesthesia step (S-3). At this time, cooling may cause the surface of the target area to stick to the cooling medium. If the medical cooling device is immediately separated, damage may occur to the surface of the target area. To prevent such damage, the overall temperature protocol can control the temperature of the cooling medium before separating the cooling medium from the target area so that it is a different temperature from the temperature in the cooling anesthesia step (S-3). Post-cooling can be performed in the temperature range in the detaching step (S-42) above a preset temperature. The temperature during post-cooling may be different from the temperature in the cooling disinfection step (S-2) or the temperature in the cooling anesthesia step (S-3). Specifically, the temperature in the cooling disinfection step (S-2) It may be higher than the temperature at or the temperature at the cooling anesthesia stage (S-3).

Meanwhile, the medical cooling system may further include a notification unit (not shown). For post-cooling in the detaching step (S-42), the medical cooling system operates at a temperature higher than the temperature in the cooling disinfection step (S-2) or the temperature in the cooling anesthesia step (S-3). After rising, the operator can notify the outside using a notification unit (not shown) to immediately remove the cooling medium from the target area. The notification unit (not shown) can provide notification signals to the outside using various signals such as sound, light, and vibration. The notification unit (not shown) may provide the above-mentioned notification signal after a preset time has elapsed after the cooling medium reaches a preset temperature or higher.

Meanwhile, the overall temperature protocol may further include a chemical anesthesia and disinfection step (S-41) of anesthetizing or disinfecting using a drug between the cooling anesthesia step (S-3) and the detaching step (S-42). In this case, the detaching step (S-42) can be performed immediately after injecting the drug. As an example, the temperature range in the drug anesthesia and disinfection step (S-41) may be the same as the temperature range in the detaching step (S-42). As another example, the temperature range in the detaching step (S-42) may be different from the temperature range in the drug anesthesia and disinfection step (S-41), for example, in the detaching step (S-42) The temperature range may be lower than the temperature range in the drug anesthesia and disinfection step (S-41).

Next, the drying step (S-5) will be described with reference to FIG. 5I.

The drying step (S-5) may be a step of removing moisture generated during cooling by maintaining a constant temperature range for a preset time after use is completed and completely separated from the patient's target area. For example, the drying step (S-5) controls the cooling medium to have a temperature range of 20°C or higher, thereby drying the moisture generated during cooling by the cooling disinfection step (S-2) or the cooling anesthesia step (S-3). This can prevent contamination and increase durability of the device. As another example, the drying step (S-5) may be controlled so that the cooling medium has a temperature range of 30°C or higher. The medical cooling system can control the operation of the cooling generator so that the cooling medium has the above-mentioned temperature range. Specifically, by controlling the direction of the current of the thermoelectric element to be opposite to the cooling steps, the temperature of the cooling medium is controlled. can be quickly heated to the temperature at which drying occurs.

As described above, the cooling method using the medical cooling system 1 is characterized by maintaining the temperature within different temperature ranges in each step according to multi-step. The medical cooling device 10 can maintain the temperature according to the multi-step described above by controlling the output of the cooling generator 113 that generates cooling energy. At this time, the medical cooling device 10 can perform cooling at high speed below a specific temperature by applying the maximum current or maximum voltage allowed by the cooling generator 113.

As such, the present invention has been described with reference to an embodiment shown in the drawings, but this is merely an example, and those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications and variations of the embodiment are possible therefrom. Therefore, the true scope of technical protection of the present invention should be determined by the technical spirit of the attached patent claims.

1: Medical cooling system
10: Medical cooling device
100: body part
110: Cooling unit
111: Cooling medium receiving portion
112: coupling part
113: Cooling generation unit
114: heat dissipation unit
116: heat transfer medium
141: Pressure sensor unit
150: blowing unit
20: Cooling medium
30: Guide member

Claims (9)

In a method of controlling a cooling device for performing cooling anesthesia on a target,
periodically measuring the temperature of a cooling medium included in the cooling device using a sensor unit of the cooling device - the cooling medium is thermally connected to the surface of the target to perform cooling;
A first cooling step of cooling the cooling medium so that the temperature of the cooling medium reaches a first cooling temperature, using the control unit of the cooling device;
An attaching step of maintaining the temperature of the cooling medium within a first temperature range including the first cooling temperature after the cooling medium reaches the first cooling temperature, using the control unit of the cooling device;
Using the control unit of the cooling device, determining whether the cooling medium has contacted the target in the attaching step; And
A second cooling step of cooling the cooling medium so that the temperature of the cooling medium reaches the second cooling temperature, using the control unit of the cooling device,
The second cooling temperature is a temperature at which cooling anesthesia is possible, and the first cooling temperature is different from the second cooling temperature,
Control method.
According to claim 1,
In the second cooling step, the temperature of the cooling medium gradually decreases to reach the second cooling temperature.
Control method.
According to claim 1,
The sensor unit is thermally connected to the cooling medium and directly or indirectly measures the temperature of the cooling medium,
Control method.
According to claim 1,
Using the cooling unit of the cooling device, when the temperature of the cooling medium reaches the second cooling temperature, the temperature of the cooling medium is maintained within a second temperature range including the second cooling temperature for a preset cooling anesthesia time. Further comprising:
Control method.
According to paragraph 1,
The first cooling temperature is a temperature for preventing ice adhesion due to temperature difference when the cooling medium contacts the target,
Control method.
According to claim 1,
The first cooling temperature is -10°C or higher,
Control method.
According to claim 1,
It further includes a detaching step of providing heat to the cooling medium using the cooling unit of the cooling device so that the temperature of the cooling medium reaches the detaching temperature after the first cooling step,
The detaching temperature is higher than the second cooling temperature,
Control method.
According to clause 7,
The detaching step includes providing a notification signal to the outside, using the notification unit of the cooling device, when a preset waiting time has elapsed after the temperature of the cooling medium becomes more than the detaching temperature.
Control method.
According to paragraph 1,
The first cooling temperature is a temperature higher than the second cooling temperature,
Control method.