Cardiopulmonary bypass for resuscitation of patients with accidental hypothermia and cardiac arrest.

Hypothermic patients have been successfully rewarmed by a number of methods. However, when cardiac arrest occurs, as it frequently does at core temperatures of less than 27 degrees C, prolonged cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is required, because defibrillation can rarely be achieved until the patient has been rewarmed to 30 degrees to 34 degrees C. Five cases of accidental hypothermia with cardiac arrest treated with cardiopulmonary bypass are discussed. The first patient died as a result of inadequate low-flow cardiopulmonary bypass by the femorofemoral route. The second patient had prolonged CPR by closed-chest cardiac massage and warm peritoneal lavage followed by transthoracic cardiopulmonary bypass. This patient regained consciousness but was found to be paraplegic and died from bowel infarction related to peritoneal rewarming without adequate perfusion. In the last three patients, high-flow cardiopulmonary bypass was rapidly achieved using a no. 28 French chest tube for femoral venous cannulation, and they recovered completely. In cases of accidental hypothermia with cardiac arrest, rapid institution of full cardiopulmonary bypass provides excellent circulatory support and rapid rewarming. This avoids the complications of prolonged inadequate circulation that occur when closed-chest cardiac massage and external rewarming are used.