Hyperthermia following Cerebral Injury
In the case report following immersion in an excessively heated body of water, the initial
hyperthermia was a passive consequence of that environment. It was followed by a prolonged period of resuscitation while laying on 139°C concrete for at least 20 minutes, resulting in burns to her back and extremities. As soon as her heart resumed function following CPR, the superheated blood in her trunk and extremities was returned to her central circulation and brain. Once she was hospitalized, aggressive attempts to cool were made. Over the following week or more, her temperature fluctuated dramatically. Traumatic brain injury is associated with aseptic hyperthermia in 30-70% of pediatric cases, and is closely associated with the magnitude of brain injury and subsequent recovery.20, 23 As a result, current best practice is to provide cooling to normothermic or lower levels during the period following resuscitation of cardiac arrest or hospital care following TBI.23 The longer the brain is allowed to remain in a hypermetabolic state, the poorer the ultimate recovery.23