Aim of the study: We studied induction of therapeutic hypothermia during prehospital resuscitation from cardiac arrest using an infusion of ice-cold Ringer's solution in five adult patients.
Material and methods: Paramedics infused +4 degrees C Ringer's solution into the antecubital vein of the patients with a maximum rate of 33 ml/min to a target temperature of 33.0 degrees C.
Results: The mean infused volume of cold fluid was 14.0 ml/kg, which resulted in a mean decrease of 2.5 degrees C in nasopharyngeal temperature. The decrease in temperature continued after the cessation of infusion in two patients, causing suboptimal temperatures below 32 degrees C.
Conclusion: We conclude that the infusion of small volumes of ice-cold Ringer's solution during resuscitation results in an effective decrease in nasopharyngeal temperature. Caution should be taken to avoid temperatures below the range of mild therapeutic hypothermia.