Hypothermia

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Hypothermia, defined as a core body temperature less than 95 °F(35°C) occurs

when heat loss exceeds the body’s heat production. (Ruffolo p.47) Thermal stability in

humans depends on the body’s ability to adapt to changes in internal and external

temperatures. Heat is transferred throughout tissues and fat, and is released at a rate

directly related to the temperature of the environment through radiation, conduction,

convection, and evaporation.


Hypothermia is typically seen as a bad thing; however, various studies have been

proving it to be very useful. Traumatic brain injury initiates several metabolic processes

that can exacerbate the injury. There is evidence that hypothermia may limit some of these

deleterious metabolic responses. In a randomized controlled trial researchers compared

the effect of moderate hypothermia and normhypothermia in 82 patients with severe

closed head injuries (score of 3 to 7 on the Glasgow Coma Scale) The patients assigned to

hypothermia were cooled to 33 degrees C an average of 10 hours after injury, kept at 32

degrees to 33 degrees C for 24 hours, and then re-warmed. A specialist in physical

medicine and rehabilitation who was unaware of the treatment assignments evaluated the

patients 3, 6, and 12 months later with the use of the Glasgow Outcome Scale. The

demographic characteristics, causes, and severity of injury were similar in the hypothermia

group and the normothermia groups. At 12 months 62% of the patients in the

hypothermia group and 38% in the normothermia had good outcomes (moderate, mild, or

no disabilities). The researchers concluded that “Treatment with moderate hypothermia for

24hours in patients with severe traumatic brain injury and coma scores of 5 to 7 hastened

neurological recovery and may have improved the outcome. (Marion et all)


Two studies done (one in Australia and the ot...