Glacier Tek to Unveil Cool Vest at AAOS Meeting

Discomfort from overheating is an on-the-job reality for many workers — and healthcare professionals like surgeons, who endure bright lights, sterile gowns, lead aprons, physical exertion and time stress as they perform high-intensity procedures, are not immune.

The Glacier Tek Cool Vest, an American-made, self-contained lightweight wearable personal cooling system that maintains a cool— but not cold— temperature, is a patented, U.S.D.A. bio-based cooling solution that company executives claim is a game-changer for surgeons and staff seeking temperature comfort in the sometimes-trying conditions of a typical operating room. This vest could also lead to better patient outcomes, company officials contend.

“Our product is a perfect solution to a situation many surgeons and operating room staff face. In fact, surgeons first came to us seeking the Glacier Tek Cool Vest because it is self-contained, bio-based and allows unencumbered freedom of movement in the O.R.,” said David Land, president of Glacier Tek. “Research indicates a low temperature in the operating room can have adverse effects on not only a patient’s comfort, but recovery time as well. The Glacier Tek Cool Vest is one way to help surgeons and OR staff keep cool even during long, physically demanding surgeries.”

Glacier Tek’s patented phase change material (PCM) is superior to water-based personal cooling solutions in several ways. Worn around the body’s core in an easy-on, easy-off vest without tubes or tethers, Glacier Tek cools the body safely to a comfortable temperature. Water freezes at a low 32 degrees Fahrenheit, which is too cold to be exposed to bare (or even thinly-covered) skin for more than a few minutes. But, the Glacier Tek PCM turns to a frozen solid at 59 degrees Fahrenheit, a good temperature to bring relief. It also avoids the wetness caused by water condensation.

Glacier Tek contains the only thermal energy storage material technology to have a U.S.D.A. Certified BioPreferred label. “Other PCMs are petroleum-derived, which makes them inappropriate to use in healthcare applications. Our PCM is made of food-grade, plant-derived ingredients, and is safe to humans and the environment,” added Land. “In fact, our product is about 10 times less toxic than ordinary table salt, and biodegrades faster than sugar — our PCM is not a hazardous material and can be disposed of in an ordinary landfill.”

The Cooling Vest helps surgeons stay alert and focused without turning down the temperature in the operating room, which is not ideal for the patient. Cool operating rooms can lead to hypothermic patients, who experience greater blood loss, longer recovery times, and vulnerability to post-surgical, hospital-acquired infections. Even when patients are warmed with forced air, body temperatures decrease during the first hour of surgery, leading to hypothermic patients who are more likely to require blood transfusions.

Glacier Tek Cool Vests are easy to use: they come in several sizes for a good fit, and can be worn over or under other garments. Each set of removable cooling packs stays cold for three to four hours in a typical O.R. environment with moderate activity, at which point they can be quickly replaced by fresh packs. The reusable, durable packs are rechargeable in ice water and are ready for reuse in 20 minutes. The vest itself is washable, and the cooling packs are easy to sanitize. Glacier Tek even developed a special disposable Cool Vest for situations of elevated sanitation protocol, for use by workers on the frontlines of epidemic crises.

Glacier Tek develops products designed to safely help maintain a normal core body temperature in a variety of environments. Its natural, renewable thermal energy storage products provide comfort for people in need, eliminate the use of hazardous chemicals for personal safety and comfort, and maintain the company’s ecological principles. The company is based in Melbourne, Fla.