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Continuing Education in Anaesthesia, Critical Care & Pain 2006 6(1):23-27; doi:10.1093/bjaceaccp/mki064
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Continuing Education in Anaesthesia, Critical Care & Pain | Volume 6 Number 1 2006 © The Board of Management and Trustees of the British Journal of Anaesthesia [2006]. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org

Clinical applications of induced hypothermia

Mark Luscombe, Specialist Registrar
Sheffield Teaching Hospital NHS Trust, UK

John C Andrzejowski, Consultant Neuroanaesthetist
Sheffield Teaching Hospital NHS Trust, UK, C Floor Anaesthesia, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Glossop Road, Sheffield S10 2JF, UK
Tel: 0114 2712494 Fax: 0114 2268736 E-mail: John.andrzejowski@sth.nhs.uk (for correspondence)

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.


Key points

Induced hypothermia aims to avoid the complications associated with hypothermia.

It is principally used in comatose cardiac arrest survivors, head injury, and neonatal encephalopathy.

The mechanism of action is thought to be mediated by prevention of cerebral reperfusion injury.

The main problems associated with its use are diuresis, electrolyte imbalance and immunosuppression.

The International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation recommend that it is used for comatose survivors of VF, out-of-hospital cardiac arrests.

Cerebral hypothermia can safely improve intact survival in term infants with neonatal encephalopathy.

 

Hypothermia is a well known cause of death, particularly in colder climates; however, it may also be used to preserve life. Defined as a core temperature <35°C, hypothermia as a treatment for medical conditions is not a new practice. Ancient Greek physicians used hypothermia for various conditions including haemorrhage and trauma. More recent use has centred on its efficacy as a neuroprotective strategy. Therapeutic . . . [Full Text of this Article]


   Mechanisms of action
 

   Side-effects of induced hypothermia
 
Cardiovascular system

Respiratory system

Infection and gastrointestinal function

Renal system

Acid–base

Haematological


   Techniques used for induced hypothermia
 

   Clinical applications
 
Cardiac arrest survivors

Traumatic head injuries

Newborn hypoxic–ischaemic encephalopathy

Neurosurgery

Cerebrovascular accident (stroke)

Other areas


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