title: Hypothermia prolongs survival in a confined atmosphere.
abstract: Survival in a confined atmosphere where O2 is limited may be extended by hypothermia. Rats were placed in a thermoregulated sealed chamber which contained a limited amount of air. Rats were studied at low ambient temperatures, in which their terminal rectal temperatures (TB) were 33.2-8.3 degrees C. Rats which had a terminal TB of 20 degrees C achieved maximal O2 extraction. Maximal survival time may be expected with an initial thermoneutral temperature followed by hypothermia with a final TB of 20 degrees C. Resuscitation with no obvious signs of injury was possible after half of the rats succumbed.
authors.affiliation: Israeli Naval Hyperbaric Institute, Haifa.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Arieli
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lehrer
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gavriely
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D007035:Hypothermia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015996:Survival Rate