One day after a private hospital in Delhi declared a living baby dead, inviting government inquiries and threats of licence cancellation, the Indian Medical Association has issued a detailed advisory on when to pronounce death due to hypothermia.
Hypothermia is a medical emergency that occurs when the human body loses heat faster than it can produce heat, causing a dangerously low body temperature.
“Never declare a patient dead under conditions of hypothermia A core body temperature below 95°F is hypothermia. Core temperature 90-95°F is mild hypothermia, 82 to 90°F is moderate hypothermia and core temperature below 82°F is severe hypothermia. In conditions of severe hypothermia in children, body metabolism is suspended, which may protect against hypoxia. Patients with core body temperature 82°F have been known to survive anoxia for 12-18 minutes and up to 60 minutes or more at core body temperature 68°F. Sometimes, hypothermic patients can be successfully revived with CPR even with total resuscitation time of 9 hours. Because of dilated pupils, asystole, hypoventilation, absence of shivering, the patient appears dead,” IMA said in its advisory
Hypothermia is a medical emergency that occurs when the human body loses heat faster than it can produce heat, causing a dangerously low body temperature. There has been a huge uproar after a renowned hospital in North Delhi declared one of twins dead and allegedly handed the baby to the family in a packet. It was some time later that the family noticed movement and realised that the baby is not dead. Delhi health minister Satyendra Jain has since said that if the charges are found to be true and the hospital negligent, it could lose its licence.
The apex medical association also said that for adults, successful revival is possible because of the neuroprotective effects of hypothermia. Several hours of CPR may be required for this. Efforts to revive the patient should be continued till the core body temperature reaches 90-95°F.
