E. Kangas et al., TREATMENT OF HYPOTHERMIC CIRCULATORY ARREST WITH THORACOTOMY AND PLEURAL LAVAGE, Annales chirurgiae et gynaecologiae, 83(3), 1994, pp. 258-260
We describe a successful case of severe hypothermia due to coldwater i
mmersion. An eight-year-old boy was saved from cold water (4 degrees C
) after forty minutes. Open rewarming and resuscitation was performed
by thoracotomy and pleural lavage for cardiac arrest due to the low co
re temperature (25 degrees C), The patient recovered primarily well wi
thout any postoperative complications. The follow-up of two years show
s good state of physical health but some neuropsychological defects di
sturbing normal progress in school work.