Occlusion-resistant fluid pad conformable to a body for therapeutic treatment thereof

摘要

A pad is provided for therapeutically treating bodily injuries or ailments by positioning the pad on an affected part of the body and circulating a nonambient temperature treatment fluid through the pad. The pad has a bladder that is a symmetrical planar member configured in sections conformable to the contours of the body, thereby facilitating heat exchange between the pad and the patient. Included are a relatively wide main section and extension section that are fluid-communicatively joined with one another at the axis of symmetry across a relatively narrow connective section. The extension section is oblong-shaped, having a longitudinal axis aligned substantially perpendicular to the axis of symmetry and substantially parallel to the forward and rearward edges of the planar member. To specifically resist occlusion from kinking in the region of fluid ports into and out of the planar member, a portion of the planar member proximal and adjacent to the inlet and outlet ports is constructed in a manner that renders it substantially less flexible than the remainder of the planar member by affixing a patch of stiffened material to the surface of the planar member in the region of the inlet and outlet ports.