Hypothermia in general surgery

DURING the past three years a voluminous literature has accumulated on the use of hypothermia in prolonging the safe period of circulatory occlusion during cardiac surgery, but little has been written on the use of hypothermia in general surgery. The purpose of this paper is to summarize our experience with the use of hypothermia in general surgery and to give the physiologic rationale for its employment. Clinical Material During this period from July, 1953, to May, 1956, we employed hypothermia for 41 noncardiac operative procedures. Of these, 11 were for neurosurgical operations and are not further considered in this . . .