Therapeutic hypothermia

摘要

Core temperature varies not only interindividually and diurnally, but also between different parts of the body. Nevertheless body core temperature is precisely controlled between set points triggering thermoregulatory responses in the healthy awake individual. The temperature range not triggering thermoregulatory responses is approximately 0.2degC in un-anaesthetized humans. During anaesthesia this temperature range increases because physiological thermoregulatory responses normally triggered by hypothermia do not occur (e.g., behavioural changes, shivering), or at lower temperatures (vasocon-striction). Therefore, if normothermia is not actively maintained, general anaesthesia may lead to unintentional low body temperature. In contrast to accidental hypothermia is deliberate hypothermia, which has been used as a therapeutic adjunct for a variety of medical procedures.