For a cool head!

Eurolec Instrumentation Ltd/Oriel Medical Devices Ltd, with the assistance of Enterprise Ireland in the areas of R&D and intellectual property protection, has recently developed an exciting new instrument, which has been designed to cool the brain at the earliest possible intervention.

Marie, a French student at Eurelec models the Cool Head device

In the event of heart attacks, strokes, brain trauma, birth difficulties and some other medical circumstances, medical evidence suggests that if action is taken quickly enough the ability to cool the brain by just 1°C can reduce both swelling and the loss of neurologic function & result in a significantly improved prognosis. The Cool Brain operates off its own rechargeable batteries, 12V paramedic vehicle and mains power (with adaptor) . It therefore provides cooling from the earliest opportunity all the way through to intensive care in hospital

Eurolec have now been granted an Irish patent for this innovative device and the Neuroscience dept in Trinity College Dublin are currently conducting research under Prof. Shane O’Mara to evaluate the efficacy of the Cool Brain instrument.

It is hoped that on the satisfactory conclusion of this research, steps can be taken to commercialise the Cool Brain and further adapt the system – the instrument can also be configured to heat as well as cool and could be beneficial in treating soft tissue injuries in sport and also in the transportation of human organs.