Background
hypothermia, Hypothermia, haemorrhage, coagulopathy, trauma
HAEMORRHAGE, FIRE, COAGULOPATHY, HEAT, COLD
Accidental hypothermia as a consequence of severe trauma is regularly observed [Entrapped victims after traffic accidents represent a special risk group, especially in winter, as they are usually seriously injured and exposed to the cold for a long time until they are ready for transport in the ambulance. In the recent decades this risk has become even greater, as the changed design of modern cars has led to a significant increase in protracted technical rescue [Unfortunately, core body temperature is rarely measured in prehospital settings. In a study by Eidstuen et al. [Hypothermia affects both the plasmatic and cellular components of coagulation and is a major contributor to coagulopathy in these patients [Whether accidental hypothermia after severe trauma is an independent factor for increased mortality or only a surrogate parameter of the severity of the injury and haemorrhage is controversially discussed in the literature. On the one hand, many authors were able to identify hypothermia as an independent mortality factor in their studies [The following studies were designed to address three questions related to the care of entrapped trauma victims.
What is the most frequently used method for heat protection for entrapped trauma victims carried out by the fire brigades in Germany?Are these thermal protection methods effective?Could the pre-hospital use of forced air warming be a viable alternative?