Dr. Freeze - nasopharyngeal catheter attached to a portable thermoelectric cooling unit with rechargeable battery for selective brain cooling in neurological patients

• Grant number: 20/00776-2
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Innovative Research in Small Business - PIPE
• Start date: December 01, 2020
• End date: August 31, 2022
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Bernardo Lembo Conde de Paiva
• Grantee: Bernardo Lembo Conde de Paiva
• Company: Floe Indústria, Comércio e Importação de Equipamentos para Saúde Ltda
• CNAE: Fabricação de aparelhos eletromédicos e eletroterapêuticos e equipamentos de irradiação
• Associated researchers: Fábio Lacreta de Toledo Silva ; Raphael Einsfeld Simões Ferreira
• Associated scholarship(s): 21/05441-1 - Dr. Freeze - Nasopharyngeal catheter attached to a portable thermoelectric cooling unit with rechargeable battery for selective brain cooling in neurological patients., BP.TT

Abstract

The objective of this project is to develop a thermoelectric cooling system for liquids to be used connected to a nasopharyngeal brain cooling catheter in patients with brain acute injuries. Acute brain injuries caused by TBI, CVA and CRP are responsible for major socioeconomic burden and the best way to reduce sequelae and deaths is by therapeutic brain cooling. The techniques currently used have several limitations which restricts them to high income hospitals and, mainly, to developed countries. In addition, they present safety issues, which means that only professionals with advanced training can use them. Techniques to selectively cool the brain have been investigated previously and those that use pharynx or nasal cavities are more appropriate for use in humans, because they are minimally invasive, easy to apply and cause rapid reduction in brain temperature. This project, Dr. Freeze, aims to bring a selective brain cooling system to the global market by delivering a nasopharyngeal catheter connected to a liquid cooling unit for the management of the temperature of patients which allows a much larger number of patients that could receive therapeutic brain cooling even before they arrive at the hospital. Being more compact, practical and battery-powered, Dr. Freeze can be used at the point-of-care outside the hospital and be continued even during patient transportation, a fact that increases the success of the treatment. Its practicality will allow professionals with basic training to start and maintain the treatment in any environment. The Dr. Freeze project is the result of the doctoral theses of its two co-founders at major Brazilian universities (USP and UNIFESP), and the nasopharyngeal catheter was recently cleared by ANVISA, which is already analyzing the cooling unit. The innovation of the two components of this project (catheter and cooling unit) is worldwide, which is why the partners have already started requiring patents in Brazil, USA, Europe, China and India. This version was presented in 2019 to the U.S. Department of Defense who expressed interest in acquiring it for military use. As it is an innovative system, with technological differentials that lead to greater safety, practicality and versatility that surpass its competitors, we believe that the Dr. Freeze system can become the main product for therapeutic cooling of patients in the global market. (AU)