PERITONEAL LAVAGE COOLING IN AN ANESTHETIZED DOG HEATSTROKE MODEL

  • 1 January 1978
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 49  (6) , 779-784
Abstract
Cooling in room air (27.degree. C, 20% RH [relative humidity]) ice slush surface cooling, and peritoneal lavage cooling (6-10.degree. C) were compared as methods for lowering body temperature in an anesthetized dog heatstroke model. Animals (19) were anesthetized with sodium pentobarbital (25 mg/kg, i.v.) and maintained in an ambient temperature of 42-46.degree. C with a water heating blanket for approximately 2.0 h until rectal temperatures Tr rose to 43.2 .+-. 0.2.degree. C. At the maximum rectal temperature, the heating blankets were removed, and animals were cooled, observed until death occurred or 18 h elapsed, and then sacrificed. Maximum cooling rates of Tr were: peritoneal lavage, 0.56.degree. C/min; ice slush, 0.11.degree. C/min; and 27.degree. C air cooling, 0.06 C/min. The incidence of 18-h survival for lavage-cooled dogs when supported with normothermic dialysis every 4 h was significantly greater than for either ice slush or air cooled dogs.