Peritoneal dialysis to induce hypothermia in a head-injured patient: case report

Hypothermia is of proven benefit in cerebral ischemia, and may be of benefit in blunt head injury. Peritoneal dialysis is a fast, effective method of inducing generalized hypothermia. A case is reported in which peritoneal dialysis was used to induce mild hypothermia (34.5-36 degrees C) in a patient who sustained a severe head injury, with intracranial hypertension unresponsive to hyperventilation, osmotic diuresis, and barbiturate coma. Hypothermia was associated with prompt control of temperature and intracranial pressure. Peritoneal dialysis is a useful method for inducing hypothermia in the blunt head-injured patient.