KEEPING A COOL HEAD - THERAPEUTIC HYPOTHERMIA IN TRAUMA

The beneficial effects of therapeutic hypothermia have been capitalised upon in fields such as cardiac surgery for several decades. Hypothermia not only slows metabolism and consumption of metabolic substrates, but also confers cellular protection against ischaemia and reperfusion. Hypothermia has historically been considered as something to avoid in trauma casualties, with coagulopathy being the main concern. There is now increasing evidence for the role of controlled therapeutic hypothermia in trauma, particularly improved functional outcomes following brain injury and the utility of ‘suspended animation’ or ‘emergency preservation’ in the resuscitation of severe haemorrhagic shock. With the ongoing ‘Eurotherm’ trial of hypothermia in the treatment of traumatic brain injury, and the imminent launch of the ‘Emergency Preservation and Resuscitation (EPR) for Cardiac Arrest From Trauma’ clinical trial in the USA, this presentation will provide a timely overview of the developments of therapeutic hypothermia in trauma management.