Rewarming: facts and myths from the systemic perspective (original) (raw)

It is a pleasure to announce the 2nd Innsbruck Hypothermia Symposium. We are very happy that Critical Care has agreed to publish extended abstracts submitted by invited renowned scientists from all over the world; that is, Europe, the Americas, Asia. Neuroprotection-potentially achieved by targeted temperature management (that is, therapeutic hypothermia or prophylactic controlled normothermia)-is essential in emergency and acute care management of various severe neurologic and cardiologic diseases. Beyond neuroprotection-for this aim, therapeutic hypothermia has been established after resuscitation of patients with cardiac arrest due to a shockable arrhythmia and in neonatal asphyxic encephalopathytherapeutic hypothermia and prophylactic controlled normothermia have been published in single case reports, retrospective, open, but also in prospective randomised controlled trials in many other emergency disciplines in which both neuroprotection and protection of other organs and tissues are the target of our therapeutic endeavours. The Medical University Innsbruck, Austria, is happy to organise this conference on temperature management, therapeutic hypothermia and prophylactic normothermia respectively, to be held in Portoroz, Slovenia. In accordance with the first Meeting on Hypothermia, which was held in Miami, Florida, USA (CHilling At the Beach), we are proud to suggest the acronym CHAB standing for take Care for Heart And Brain, characterising the major target organs of therapeutic and, possibly also, prophylactic temperature management. Again, we have been able to gather most renowned scientists, neurointensivists and intensivists, emergency physicians, cardiologists and other specialists to cover the entire scientific and clinical spectrum of emergency temperature management, technical aspects of cooling and management of potential complications including shivering, but also temperature management in neurology, neurosurgery, intensive care medicine, in the operation theatre, cardiology, infectious diseases, and so forth. Beyond that we cross borders and discuss hypothermia and intracranial pressure, pharmacodynamics in hypothermic patients and the influence of hypothermia onto pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics, hypothermia in refractory status epilepticus or heat stroke, hypothermia and advanced neuromonitoring, hypothermia and nutrition, shivering and the critical issue of rewarming, amongst other topics. The aim of this symposium is to enhance the knowledge on temperature management, increase the readiness and stimulate the preparedness to institute therapeutic hypothermia and/or prophylactic controlled normothermia, respectively, in patients in need of tissue and organ A2 Therapeutic hypothermia: the rationale