Severe accidental hypothermia may be fatal and hypothermic patients should be monitored in intensive care units. Correct treatment depends on prompt recognition, which may be delayed or missed if conventional glass thermometers are used. If core rewarming is required, peritoneal dialysis with a warm dialysate (40 to 45°C) is the treatment of choice.
In this paper, we describe the use of peritoneal dialysis in three patients with severe accidental hypothermia. Two recovered, and although the third's condition improved he died from his severe head injuries.
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