Profound accidental hypothermia treated with peritoneal dialysis.

In five women and two men, profound accidental hypothermia--core temperature on admission 24-28 degrees C--was treated with peritoneal dialysis. In two cases 16 gauge intravenous catheters were used, without difficulty, for the dialysis. Six of the seven patients were intoxicated by hypnotics, and four also by alcohol. Two patients died--one 38 hours after admission due to acute myoglobinuric renal failure arising from gangrene of an arm, and the other after 71 hours, due to cerebral herniation. The remaining five patients recovered without cerebral sequelae. Peritoneal dialysis is a useful procedure for rewarming patients with profound accidental hypothermia.