Human Responses to 5 Heated Hypothermia Wrap Systems in a Cold Environment.

Introduction: We compared the effectiveness of 5 heated hypothermia wrap systems.

Methods: Physiologic and subjective responses were determined in 5 normothermic subjects (1 female) for 5 heated hypothermia wraps (with vapor barrier and chemical heat sources) during 60 min of exposure to a temperature of -22°C. The 5 systems were 1) user-assembled; 2) Doctor Down Rescue Wrap; 3) hypothermia prevention and management kit (HPMK); 4) MARSARS Hypothermia Stabilizer Bag; and 5) Wiggy's Victims Casualty Hypothermia Bag.

Comparison of Distal Limb Warming With Fluidotherapy and Warm Water Immersion for Mild Hypothermia Rewarming.

Objective: The purpose of the study was to determine the effectiveness of Fluidotherapy rewarming through the distal extremities for mildly hypothermic, vigorously shivering subjects. Fluidotherapy is a dry heat modality in which cellulose particles are suspended by warm air circulation.

Methods: Seven subjects (2 female) were cooled on 3 occasions in 8˚C water for 60 minutes, or to a core temperature of 35°C.

Comparison of heat donation through the head or torso on mild hypothermia rewarming.

Objective: The purpose of the study was to compare the effectiveness of head vs torso warming in rewarming mildly hypothermic, vigorously shivering subjects using a similar source of heat donation.

Methods: Six subjects (1 female) were cooled on 3 occasions in 8 ºC water for 60 minutes or to a core temperature of 35 ºC. They were then dried, insulated, and rewarmed by 1) shivering only; 2) charcoal heater applied to the head; or 3) charcoal heater applied to the torso.

Thermal effects of whole head submersion in cold water on nonshivering humans.

This study isolated the effect of whole head submersion in cold water, on surface heat loss and body core cooling, when the confounding effect of shivering heat production was pharmacologically eliminated. Eight healthy male subjects were studied in 17 degrees C water under four conditions: the body was either insulated or uninsulated, with the head either above the water or completely submersed in each body-insulation subcondition. Shivering was abolished with buspirone (30 mg) and meperidine (2.

Life jacket design affects dorsal head and chest exposure, core cooling, and cognition in 10 degrees C water.

Purpose: Personal floatation devices (PFDs) differ in whether they maintain the head out of the water or allow the dorsum of the head to be immersed. Partial head submersion may hasten systemic cooling, incapacitation, and death in cold water.

Methods: Six healthy male volunteers (mean age = 26.