PHASE CHANGE HEAT STORAGE DEVICES FOR ARTHRITIS THERAPY

WE SEEK THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SERIES OF REUSABLE MEDICAL PRODUCTS USING HEAT STORAGE DEVICES TO DELIVER HEAT ON DEMAND WHEN ACTIVATED. SPECIFIC AIMS ARE TO DESIGN AND EVALUATE CONSUMER/PHYSICIAN BASED DEVICES TO DELIVER HEAT PRIMARILY TO THE HANDS AND NECK/SHOULDERS FOR PATIENTS AFFLICTED WITH ARTHRITIS AND RAYNAUD'S PHENOMENON. THE ACTIVE ELEMENT OF THE DEVICES WILL BE A POLYMER LAMINATED BAG CONTAINING A SUPERCOOLED SALT SOLUTION (E. G., SODIUM ACETATE TETRAHYDRATE) AT ROOM TEMPERATURE, TOGETHER WITH AN ACTIVATING (TRIGGER) DEVICE THAT, WHEN SQUEEZED, CAUSES THE LIQUID TO CRYSTALLIZE, THEREBY RELEASING HEAT, THE TRIGGER IS BASED UPON A PATENTED DESIGN DEVELOPED AT THE SOLAR ENERGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE AND LICENSED BY TA&T, WHICH WORKS BY TRAPPING AND THEN RELEASING ON DEMAND A SEED CRYSTAL. IT IS NON-METALLIC, WHICH WILL PERMIT SAFE USE OF A MICROWAVE OVEN TO RECHARGE THE DEVICE BY MELTING THE SOLID. THIS PHASE I PROJECT IS FOR DESIGN, DEVELOPMENT AND LABORATORY EVALUATION OF PROTOTYPE CONFORMATIONAL HEAT PACK DEVICES, AND ASSESSMENT OF CLINICAL EFFECTIVENESS BY A RHEUMATOLOGIST. THE OBJECTIVE IS A SET OF APPROVED PROTOTYPE HEAT PACK DEVICES TO BE SUBMITTED FOR A FULL CLINICAL EVALUATION AT JEFFERSON MEDICAL COLLEGE UNDER PHASE II.