Daniel W. Hensley

50 years of computer simulation of the human thermoregulatory system.

This paper presents an updated and augmented version of the Wissler human thermoregulation model that has been developed continuously over the past 50 years. The existing Fortran code is translated into C with extensive embedded commentary. A graphical user interface (GUI) has been developed in Python to facilitate convenient user designation of input and output variables and formatting of data presentation. Use of the code with the GUI is described and demonstrated. New physiological elements were added to the model to represent the hands and feet, including the unique vascular structures adapted for heat transfer associated with glabrous skin. The heat transfer function and efficacy of glabrous skin is unique within the entire body based on the capacity for a very high rate of blood perfusion and the novel capability for dynamic regulation of blood flow. The model was applied to quantify the absolute and relative contributions of glabrous skin flow to thermoregulation for varying levels of blood perfusion. The model also was used to demonstrate how the unique features of glabrous skin blood flow may be recruited to implement thermal therapeutic procedures. We have developed proprietary methods to manipulate the control of glabrous skin blood flow in conjunction with therapeutic devices and simulated the effect of these methods with the model.

Measurement and Analysis of Cutaneous Perfusion Depression During Cryotherapy

Localized cooling is commonly used after orthopedic surgery and in sports medicine to reduce bleeding, inflammation, metabolism, muscle spasm, pain, and swelling following musculoskeletal trauma and injury. The therapeutic application of cold therapy has a long history dating from the time of Hippocrates and has been widely documented in the literature1–3. Nonetheless, there remains to the present time considerable controversy over the appropriate protocol for application of cryotherapy. One extreme camp advocates continuous use of cryotherapy to a treatment site with no break in cooling for days or even weeks4–5, whereas other practitioners recommend a maximum application duration of 20 to 30 minutes followed by a cessation period of about 2 hours6–7. Although continuous cooling appears to be tolerated by many patients, there has been a large number of reported incidences in which continuous application of cryotherapy device led directly to extensive tissue necrosis and/or nerve injury in the treatment area, sometimes with dire medical consequences6,8.Copyright

Quantitative Modeling of Vacuum-Enhanced Human Heat Transfer

The ability to easily manipulate body temperature would impact a number of fields. While perfusion with externally cooled or warmed blood is effective due to the thermoregulatory power of the circulatory system and its diffuse microcirculation, this process is particularly invasive. Noninvasive techniques to date mostly utilize body surface applications that rely on relatively inferior conduction heat transfer.© 2009 ASME