Thermoregulatory management for mild therapeutic hypothermia

In recent years the use of mild therapeutic hypothermia as a means of neuroprotection has become an important concept for treatment after cerebral ischemic hypoxic injury. Mild therapeutic hypothermia has been shown to improve outcome after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, and many studies suggest a beneficial effect of mild therapeutic hypothermia on patient outcome after traumatic brain injury, cerebrovascular damage and neonatal asphyxia. This review article explores the numerous possibilities and methods for the induction of mild therapeutic hypothermia, reviews thermoregulatory management during maintenance and discusses associated risks and complications.

Key words: hypothermia, hypothermia, induced, mild therapeutic hypothermia, meperidine, pethidine, buspirone, nefopam, shivering, vasoconstriction, core temperature, induction of hypothermia, invasive cooling, external cooling