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Updated: Feb 22, 2026

Esophageal Heat Transfer for Patient Temperature Control and Targeted Temperature Management
Published on: November 21, 2017
Targeted Temperature Management in Brain Injured Patients
1Division of Critical Care and Neurotrauma, Department of Neurology, Sidney-Kimmel College of Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University, 909 Walnut Street, 3rd Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA; Division of Critical Care and Neurotrauma, Department of Neurological Surgery, Sidney-Kimmel College of Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University, 909 Walnut Street, 3rd Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA.
Abstract:
Evidence from animal models indicates that lowering temperature by a few degrees can produce substantial neuroprotection. In humans, hypothermia has been found to be neuroprotective with a significant impact on mortality and long-term functional outcome only in cardiac arrest and neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. Clinical trials have explored the potential role of maintaining normothermia and treating fever in critically ill brain injured patients. This review concentrates on basic concepts to understand the physiologic interactions of thermoregulation, effects of thermal modulation in critically ill patients, proposed mechanisms of action of temperature modulation, and practical aspects of targeted temperature management.
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