Severe hypothermia: Challenging normal physiology

Abstract

Accidental hypothermia is not a frequent cause of death in Australia. Moreover it is rare to have an admission to hospital with a core temperature below 32°C. Among the cases described in the literature, it is clear that temperature and prognosis are related. Our patient presented with severe accidental hypothermia and even though the admission core temperature was below 26 degrees she was successfully discharged from hospital after active re-warming with three different devices. She had laboratory and ECG findings associated with severe hypothermia.