Support apparatus with a plurality of thermal zones providing localized cooling

摘要

An apparatus for supporting a human or animal body, while selectively cooling weight-bearing areas of the body in order to prevent or reduce damage from ischemia includes a cooling layer that is partitioned into a plurality of zones, and a surface disposed over the cooling layer to support the body. Each zone of the cooling layer is disposed for cooling a respective portion of the surface. Means are provided to selectively operate one or more zones of the plurality of the zones to cool a portion of the surface that receives pressure from a weight-bearing surface of the body being supported.