Patients who experience sudden cardiac
arrest often receive hypothermia treatment to lessen the
resulting shock to the neurological system. Saint Barnabas
Medical Center (SBMC) has recently acquired the Alsius hypothermia
device to formalize its
use of hypothermia treatment.
The Alsius was selected by a committee of physicians because
it provides intravascular cooling in contrast to other devices
which cool the body by external means. Keith Hawthorne, MD,
Director of the Coronary Care Unit at SBMC, noted that the
selection was made in conjunction with Emergency Department
staff, nursing, as well as
physicians. It is believed that intravascular cooling provides
better
control and allows for the more controlled re-warming of
patients
when appropriate.
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