چكيده لاتين :
Postoperative low cardiac output states are a major cause of postoperative mortality in
infants and children following corrective cardiac surgery or congenital heart defects. Whole body
hypothermia has been used since 2001 in the management of these low output states when they are
refractory to conventional modes of therapy. From December 2001 to April 2006, 25 cases were
included in this study. The median (range) age of patients was 36.6 months (1 mo-19 y) with a median
weight of 12.2 kg (3.5-44 kg). Following cooling, there was a decrease in heart rate (P< 0.001), an
increase in mean arterial pressure (P< 0.001) and a decrease in mean arterial pressure (P< 0.001).
Significant increases in pH and urine output were also noticed, the increase in urine output being greater
in the surviving group (P= 0.02). A decrease in platelet count was occurred (P< 0.001) but WBC count
remained unchanged (P= 0.18). Fifteen of 25 patients survived to leave hospital. Induced hypothermia
does not appear to be associated with any complications and after the failure of all conventional
treatments, it seems likely that the technique may have been beneficial to outcome in some patients.