HYPOTHERMIA FOR CARDIOVASCULAR SURGERY: ACIDOSIS IN REWARMING PERIOD

Abstract
A report has been made of a series of cases in which severe metabolic acidosis arose, during the rewarming period following hypothermia for cardiac surgery. A further series is reported, showing that this syndrome is not encountered when care is taken to avoid (a) shivering, (b) peripheral vasoconstriction, (c) respiratory alkalosis during cooling and operation, and (d) when spontaneous respiration is established at the earliest opportunity, postoperatively. The differential diagnosis of the causes of severe acidosis in the rewarming period and the treatment of the acute acidotic syndrome are discussed.