Airway warming in the treatment of accidental hypothermia: a review

Airway warming is a method of treating accidental hypothermia which has provoked controversy. This review is intended to provide an accurate assessment of the current position. The effects of airway warming are to produce, as an adjunctive measure, a statistically significant increase in the rate of rewarming; decrease mortality from accidental hypothermia except in cases of subchronic hypothermia; and improve the cardiovascular, respiratory and cerebral status of the patient. Suitable equipment is available to enable field airway warming, even in hostile environments. No individual design is perfect for all situations. A heat and moisture exchanger is the simplest, lightest and least expensive design, though not the most thermally efficient. Airway warming should be of value for field use by rescue services. The technique still requires extensive evaluation to identify its potential and limitations.

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