Cooling body helps treat brain injury

Lowering the body temperature of patients who have sustained severe brain injuries may aid their recovery and reduce their risk of dying, a recent research reported. To lower body temperature, doctors generally put patients on a cooling blanket and may place ice packs around the head and other areas.Researchers from the Ottawa Hospital in Ontario, Canada, analysed 12 previous studies that explored the use of hypothermia (extreme cooling of the body), or lower-than-normal body temperature, for the treatment of severe brain injuries. The studies included a total of 1,069 patients, about half of whom received hypothermia therapy and half of whom did not. It was noted that patients typically sustain such injuries from traumatic events, such as car crashes, falls, acts of violence and sporting injuries. Overall, hypothermia treatment was associated with a 19 percent reduced risk of death. People who received the cooling treatment were also 22 percent less likely to have a poor neurological outcome, such as severe disability or vegetative state. Results varied depending on the cooling protocol that doctors followed. The greatest benefits appeared to occur when patients were cooled to a temperature of 32 to 33 degrees Celsius (89.6 to 91.4 degrees Fahrenheit) for more than 48 hours and then re-warmed within 24 hours after cooling was stopped, the researchers said.Exactly how hypothermia might help is unclear, but it may counteract the release of various chemicals that can lead to brain swelling and other complications in response to the injury. Another possible explanation is that cooling slows metabolism, almost putting the brain into 'a hibernating state' that reduces its workload. The approach is not without its risks, including lung infections, irregular heartbeat and blood-clotting abnormalities, she pointed out.According to the researchers still, more research is needed before doctors can adopt the approach as routine.