title: Classic Osborn waves and incessant ventricular fibrillation in severe hypothermia.
abstract: Cardiac arrhythmias in severe hypothermia are common and are managed primarily by re-warming techniques. A 64-year-old male presented with alcohol associated aspiration pneumonia, sepsis and severe hypothermia and was noted to have classic ECG changes of hypothermia, i.e. Osborn waves. The patient had a tumultuous clinical course with prolonged resuscitative measures. Ultimately, an early focus on invasive core temperature re-warming with cardio-pulmonary bypass resulted in a favorable outcome.
authors.affiliation: Baystate Medical Center/Tufts University School of Medicine, Internal Medicine , Springfield , USA.
authors.forename: Auras R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Atreya
authors.forename: Sonali
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arora
mesh_terms: D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004562:Electrocardiography; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D007035:Hypothermia / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014693:Ventricular Fibrillation / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*