Abstract: ObjectiveTo investigate the efficacy of combined therapy of mild hypothermia and hibernation to treat severe brain injury. Methods24 patients with severe brain injury were randomly divided into combined therapy group and normothermia group. Glasgow Coma Scale scores of all the patients were in the range of 3 to 8. No later than 10 hours after their injury, hypothermia patients were given half dosage of No.1 hibernation cocktail and had been cooled by cooling blankets to 32℃-34℃ (rectal temperature) for 5 days, then to 35℃ for 24 hours, and slowly increased to their normal level. 3 days and 7 days after their admission, intracranial pressure,creatine phosphate kinase,partial pressure of arterial O₂ and CO₂, platelet and Na⁺,K⁺ were measured.7 days after their admission, Glasgow Outcome Scale scores of each patient and mortality of each group were measured. ResultsThe mortality of combined therapy group(25.0%) was significantly lower than that of normothermia group (66.6%,P<0.05). The decreased values of intracranial pressure, creatine phosphate kinase and platelet number of combined therapy group were all significantly higher than that of normothermia group respectively (P<0.05). There were no significant difference in mean artery pressure, blood electrolyte, and partial pressure of arterial O₂ and CO₂ between these two groups(P>0.05). ConclusionThe combined therapy of mild hypothermia and hibernation can effectively reduce the mortality of patients with severe brain injury as it is much easier, less invasive and with less complications.

Key words: hypothermia, brain injuries, hibernation, mortality