Successful Treatment of Accidental Hypothermia with Injury: A Case Report / 대한구급학회지

ABSTRACT

Accidental hypothermia is an uncommon health issue that can cause fatal problems. Mortality related to hypothermia has been reported to be up to 50%. Prognosis of hypothermia depends on the grade of hypothermia, interval of re-warming from the accident and the re-warming rate. Hypothermic patients with injury show worse prognosis. A 66 year-old man with history of cerebrovascular accident was rescued in the mountains. His Glasgow coma scale (GCS) was 3, core temperature was 25.2degrees C and he had a right lateral malleolar fracture. The second patient was a 45 year-old man whose GCS was 8 and core temperature 17.2degrees C. Blood pressure was unmeasurable with only palpable pulse and showed Osborn J wave on electrocardiography for both patients. Active re-warming was performed with forced warm air, warm saline infusion and bladder irrigation. Patient core temperature raised by 1.5degrees C/hour and 3.3degrees C/hour, respectively. The two patients were discharged without any other sequelae and disability.