FDA Guidance on Device Thermal Effects
FDA has published a draft guidance, Evaluation of Thermal Effects of Medical Devices that Produce Tissue Heating and/or Cooling, describing relevant information that should be provided in a premarket submission to support the evaluation of thermal effects of medical devices that produce local, regional, and/or systemic changes in tissue temperature due to their use. The document provides recommendations on:
- evaluating thermal effects for various types of medical devices that produce changes in tissue temperature, either as an intended or unintended result of device use;
- when experimental methods, computational methods, and/or clinical studies may be appropriate to assess thermal effects; and
- information to include in premarket submissions to support the thermal effects evaluation.