US Patent 7001416 Patient comfort apparatus and system

Apparatus and a system for thermally comforting a patient include pneumatic, convective device providing thermal treatment for persons or animals. The pneumatic convective device is adapted to fit around a person's neck and provides convective warming focused or directed primarily on the thorax or body core. The pneumatic convective device includes an inlet, a region in distribution with the inlet for distributing a stream of pressurized, thermally treated air, and a permeable member for emitting pressurized, thermally treated air from the distribution region.