CJEM Articles: hypothermia
Displaying 1-5 of 5 results
-
March
2009
11
2
Karl D. Theakston, Nabil Sultan, Rita S. Suri, Ron Butler
The optimal management of moderate-to-severe hypothermia with hemodynamic instability remains unclear. Although cardiopulmonary bypass offers the most rapid rate of rewarming and has been suggested as the method of choice in the presence of circulatory arrest, there is no evidence to support the use of this highly invasive technique over other rewarming modalities in the absence of circulatory collapse. We report the successful treatment of hemodynamically unstable hypothermia with conventional hemodialysis in a patient with normal renal function, after initial efforts of rewarming using conventional strategies had failed. This case report and review of the literature highlights the advantages and the challenges of using hemodialysis in this setting, and suggests a potential role for hemodialysis in the routine management of moderate-to-severe hypothermia in the absence of circulatory arrest.
-
March
2006
8
2
Daniel Howes, David Easton, Robert Green, Robert Stenstrom, Sara Gray
-
November
2005
7
6
Alex Chochinov, Claudia Marrao, Gerald Bristow, Gordon G. Giesbrecht, Michele V. Hultzer, Xiaojiang Xu
Objective: To compare 5 active torso-warming modalities in a human model of severe hypothermia with shivering heat production inhibited by intravenous meperidine.
Methods: Six subjects were cooled on 6 different occasions each, in 8°C water, for 30 minutes or to a core temperature of 35°C. Spontaneous warming was the first torso-warming modality to be tested for every subject, and results served both as a comparative control and for determination of the meperidine dose for subsequent trials. Meperidine (1.5 mg/kg) was administered during the final 10 minutes of immersion to suppress shivering. Subjects were removed from the water, dried and insulated for 30 minutes, followed by 120 minutes of 1) forced-air warming with either a 600-W heater and commercial soft warming blanket; or 2) a 600-W heater and rigid cover; or 3) an 850-W heater and rigid cover; or 4) a charcoal heater on the chest; or 5) direct body-to-body contact with a normothermic partner. Supplemental meperidine (to a maximum cumulative dose of 3.2 mg/kg) was administered as required to inhibit shivering.
Results: The initial post-cooling afterdrop was approximately 1.0°C. After 30 minutes, core temperature continued to drop by 0.45°C in spontaneous and body-to-body warming modalities. This post-warming afterdrop was significantly less with 600-W heater and rigid cover and the charcoal heater (0.26°C) and the least with 850-W heater and rigid cover (0.17°C). Core rewarming rates were highest using 850-W heater and rigid cover (1.45°C/hr), with charcoal heating and 600-W rigid heater (0.7°C/hr), 600-W heater and blanket (0.57°C/hr) and body-to-body warming (0.52°C/hr) being more effective than spontaneous warming (0.36°C/hr).
Conclusions: In non-shivering subjects, external heat application was effective in attenuating core temperature afterdrop and facilitating safe core rewarming; this was more evident when heat was delivered preferentially to the chest, and dependent upon the amount of heat donated. The modalities studied appear sufficiently practical and portable for pre-hospital use and should be considered for such situations, particularly in rural or wilderness locations where anticipated transport time to the hospital exceeds 30 minutes. -
January
2005
7
1
Daniel Howes, Robert S. Green
Anoxic brain injury is a common outcome after cardiac arrest. Despite substantial research into the pathophysiology and management of this injury, a beneficial treatment modality has not been previously identified. Recent studies show that induced hypothermia reduces mortality and improves neurological outcomes in patients resuscitated from ventricular fibrillation. This article reviews the literature on induced hypothermia for anoxic brain injury and summarizes a treatment algorithm proposed by the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians Critical Care Committee for hypothermia induction in cardiac arrest survivors.
-
May
2002
4
3
Brian H. Rowe, Karen D. Kelly, Kevin Neilson, Samantha Barker, Sunil M. Sookram, Terry Sosnowski, William Patton
Background: Aeromedical transport in northern areas may be associated with hypothermia. The objective of this study was to determine whether significant hypothermia (core temperature <35ºC) occurs in severely injured or ill intubated patients during transport by rotary wing aircraft.
Methods: In this prospective cohort study, all intubated patients over 16 years of age who were transported by rotary wing aircraft from rural hospitals or trauma scenes in northern Alberta to regional hospitals in Edmonton were eligible for study. Esophageal thermometers were used to measure core temperature at 10-minute intervals during transport.
Results: Of 133 potentially eligible patients, 116 were enrolled; 69 (59%) had esophageal thermometers inserted, and 47 (41%) had other temperature measurements. Severe hypothermia occurred in only 1% to 2% of cases, but 28% to 39% of patients met criteria for mild hypothermia prior to transport. Core temperatures did not fall during transport, despite the fact that warming techniques were documented in only 38% of cases.
Conclusions: During brief (<225 km) rotary wing aeromedical transport of severely injured or ill patients, significant hypothermia is uncommon and body temperature is generally well maintained with the use of simple passive measures. These findings do not justify recommendations for more aggressive core temperature monitoring during this type of aeromedical transport.
