Pathophysiologic considerations during hypothermic cardiovascular surgery

ABSTRACT

The pathophysiologic changes in hypothermia have been discussed with particular reference to open cardiotomy. Mention has been made of the clinical methods of hypothermic induction as well as the indications of hypothermia in cardiac surgery. Although hypothermia has three major drawbacks, namely ventricular fibrillation, clotting deviations, and air embolism, in addition to the relatively short permissible operative time it affords, it is less complicated than cardiopulmonary bypass using non-biological machines with their physical disadvantages and profound physiological circulatory alterations. It is hoped that further biological strides will be accomplished to attenuate its seeming disadvantages in the not-too-distant future. (Summary)