Hypothermia in burns intensive care: use of the intravenous temperature management system Thermogard XP^®

Excerpt

The care of the patient with major burns in the ICU is a complex and challenging task. They differ from the other critical care patient groups in several ways. One of the major challenges faced is confronting their hypermetabolic state and temperature management [1]. It is widely known that major burn injury is associated with the most profound of hypermetabolic responses to a pathological state. Hyperthermia that is non-infectious is a feature of the systemic inflammatory response to this. In burns intensive care, the disproportionate increase in metabolic rate to small rises in core temperature can have significant impact on resuscitation and prognosis. The pathophysiology of the hyperthermic response in major burn injury is poorly understood. It could be secondary to an infective etiology or a metabolic response to the systemic inflammation. Irrespective of the reason, sustained hyperthermia above 40°C can culminate in cellular injury and death [2]. …