Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 12, 2025
Esophageal Heat Transfer for Patient Temperature Control and Targeted Temperature Management
Published on: November 21, 2017
Use of a Servo-Controlled Cooling Gel Pad System to Regulate Body Temperature in Critically Ill Children
Gema Pérez1,2, Gema Manrique1,2,3,4, Julia García1
1Department of Pediatric Intensive Care, Gregorio Marañón University Hospital, Madrid, Spain.
Insights
Servo-controlled cooling pads effectively manage temperature in critically ill children. This system achieved target temperatures well and was generally well-tolerated, showing promise for pediatric intensive care units.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Critical Care Medicine
- Thermoregulation
- Medical Device Technology
Background:
- Critically ill pediatric patients often require precise temperature management.
- Traditional methods may have limitations in achieving and maintaining target temperatures.
- Servo-controlled systems offer a potential advancement in therapeutic hypothermia and fever control.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy and safety of a servo-controlled cooling pad system.
- To assess its ability to manage target temperatures in critically ill pediatric patients.
- To determine the system's tolerability and identify any adverse events.
Main Methods:
- Prospective, single-center observational study involving pediatric patients (28 days to 16 years).
- Utilized the Arctic Sun 5000 system with Arctic Gel Hydrogel pads for servo-controlled body temperature regulation.
- Collected data on demographics, therapy indications, temperatures, time to target, duration, and need for sedation/muscle relaxants.
Main Results:
- 16 pediatric patients were included, with fever and hemodynamic instability as common indications.
- The system achieved normothermia in 81% of cases, with a mean cooling rate of 1.2°C/hr.
- Most patients tolerated the therapy well, with one skin lesion and two instances of fever due to device disconnection.
Conclusions:
- The servo-controlled gel pad system demonstrated effectiveness in achieving target temperature management in critically ill pediatric patients.
- The system was well-tolerated, suggesting its utility in pediatric intensive care settings.
- Further research with larger sample sizes may further elucidate its benefits and safety profile.
Objectives:
To assess the efficacy and safety of a servo-controlled cooling pad system for target temperature management in critically ill pediatric patients.
Design:
A prospective, single-center, observational study.
Setting:
PICU of a tertiary hospital from September 2018 to September 2019.
Patients:
Children from 28 days to 16 years old subjected to servo-controlled body temperature control.
Methods:
The Arctic Sun 5000 system (Bard Medical, Covington, GA) and Arctic Gel Hydrogel pads were used for the purposes of the study. Data collected included demographics, indication of therapy, patient's body temperature, target temperature, time-to-target temperature, duration of therapy, and need to start or increase sedation and/or muscle relaxants.
Measurements And Main Results:
A total of 16 patients were included, of whom 68.8% were male; mean age was 4.7 years. The most frequent indication was fever associated with hemodynamic instability (62.5%). The target temperature was normothermia (36 or 36.5°C) in 81% of cases. Mean baseline body temperature was 37.6°C (± 1.2°C), and 50% of patients had fever (> 38°C). The mean speed of cooling was 1.2°C/hr (± 1°C/hr). Mean time to target temperature was 118 minutes (± 98.8 min). Mean duration of therapy was 68.7 hours (± 58.3 hr). Two patients had fever related to device disconnection during the treatment. At the start of the therapy, 15 patients were receiving sedative and analgesic drugs, and four received muscle relaxants. A patient required increased sedation, whereas another patient needed to start muscle relaxants. One of the patients developed a skin lesion in the axilla, no other adverse events were registered.
Conclusions:
Despite the small sample size, the results of the study showed that target temperature management by the servo-controlled gel pad system in critically ill pediatric patients was effective in achieving satisfactory temperature control and it was well-tolerated.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:29Decreased Body Temperature
01:22Methods of reducing fever
Pharmacological Methods of Reducing Fever:
01:19Homeostatic Imbalances in Body Temperature
01:13Equipments Used to Measure Body Temperature
Glass-bulb Thermometer:
Glass-bulb thermometers are hollow glass tubes with a bulb tip containing liquid such as ethanol or mercury. Historically, glass bulb mercury thermometers were the standard device to measure body temperature. Today, mercury thermometers are prohibited in many countries due to the hazardous effects of mercury and the risk of exposure if the glass bulb breaks. In general,...
01:27Assessing Body Temperature - Rectal
Follow these steps for rectal temperature assessment:
Step 1: Perform hand hygiene and don clean gloves to prevent cross-infection.
Step 2: Position the patient in a side-lying position to better visualize the rectal...
01:14Assessing Body Temperature - Oral
Step 1:
Start by practicing proper hand hygiene to prevent the spread of microorganisms.
Step 2:
Take the thermometer out of the charging unit, switch it on, and wait for the ready sign.
Step 3:
Gently slide the probe cover until a click is heard. This simple action prevents cross-contamination and ensures the correct placement of the probe cover.
Step 4:
Instruct the patient to open their mouth and place...