Accidental Hypothermia in the Upper Midwest: A Dual Case Report Comparison

Accidental hypothermia is a potentially life-threatening situation that involves a debilitated patient and is a result of environmental exposure. In rural and isolated areas, rapid transport of a patient for definitive care is of extreme importance. Recently, an air ambulance service in the Upper Midwest encountered two similar patients within a 40 day period that experienced strikingly different outcomes. This experience brought to light the lack of a regional protocol for the management of accidental hypothermia, and has subsequently incited the development of a detailed management plan. The goal of the protocol is to unify the approach and standardize the process of hypothermia management in critical access hospitals. Of key importance in relation to the presented cases is the rapid transfer of hypothermic patients treated with CPR to a center capable of cardiopulmonary bypass.