The CarbonCool full body suit is a portable, non-invasive core body cooling system for use by first responders and clinicians for targeted temperature management and heat stroke treatment. It uses pads made of a highly thermal conductive carbon-based cooling medium to absorb heat from the body. Our department was requested to review the effectiveness of the suit and whether it might be used in place of a Body Cooling Unit (BCU).

A rapid review was carried out on the technology. The PICO elements were: Population- Emergency department patients with exertional heat injury; Intervention- CarbonCool full body suit; Comparator- Body Cooling Unit; Outcomes- Adverse effects, clinical outcomes (survival, neurological status), physical measures (rate of cooling). The NHS Centre for Reviews & Dissemination databases, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, PubMed (MEDLINE) and the US National Guidelines Clearinghouse were searched for systematic reviews, HTA reports and clinical practice guidelines. The importer was contacted to provide supporting studies for their product.

No publications were found on CarbonCool products. The importer provided the unpublished abstract of a retrospective cohort study of 124 post-cardiac arrest patients requiring targeted temperature management. The importer advised that a trial on pre-hospital heat stroke was pending. The full body suit is not intended as a replacement for body cooling units. Three clinical practice guidelines on management of heat injuries did not mention such cooling systems, but did recommend ice packs as a treatment option.

The CarbonCool Full Body Suit is not intended as a replacement for a Body Cooling Unit. No published studies were found showing effectiveness for managing exertional heat injuries. A trial on pre-hospital heat stroke was pending. Guidelines on managing heat injuries do not mention the use of the technology. It was recommended to await results of pending trials, or to use it only under research.