Positive selective brain cooling method: a novel, simple, and selective nasopharyngeal brain cooling method

Brain damage is worsened by hyperthermia and prevented by hypothermia. Conventional hypothermia is a non-selective brain cooling method that employs cooling blankets to achieve surface cooling. This complicated method sometimes induces unfavorable systemic complications. We have developed a positive selective brain cooling (PSBC) method to control brain temperature quickly and safely following brain injury. Brain temperature was measured in patients with a ventriculostomy CAMINO catheter. A Foley balloon catheter was inserted to direct chilled air (8 to 12 L/min) into each side of the nasal cavity. The chilled air was exhaled through the oral cavity. In most patients, PSBC maintained normal brain temperature. This new technique provides quick induction of brain temperature control and does not require special facilities.