Evening star., 1953-06-08
Artificial Hibernution
Used in French Surgery
Mortality Rate Reduced
In Shock After Operations
By Thomos R. Henry

In Shock After Operations
By Thomas R. Henry
Long-lasting artificial Information
brought about by a special technique
is reducing by more than so per cent
the mortality from shock following
surgery.
This accomplishment by eminent
French surgeons is claimed in q spe-
cial report received by the American
Medical Association from It's Paris
correspondent. Results have been spec
tacular, according to claims from half
dozen Paris hospitals.
The theory upon which the French
surgeons have worked is that the met
abolic rate Of the entire body must be
reduced to about the lowest level COM
patible with life before very intensive
surgery is attempted. It is not, the
reports to the American Medical Asso-
citation stress, a system of anesthesia
per Sc, although 1t has some similar
effects. Surgical anesthetics are given
quite independently.
Nervous System Slowed Down.
AAC pIOCCOuIC SL4ItS WIFI dQL1lQlSs
tration Of what the French correspond
ent calls "lytic cocktail" q combina-
tion Of drugs intended to slow down
greatly the action of the autonomic
nervous system which controls the
basic, subconsciouS mechanisms Of life.
This is injected intravenously when the
patient is taken into the operating
room. 1t places him in state of semi
consciousness.
Ten or IS minutes later. seven or
eight ice bags are placed on the limbs,
abdomen, thorax and especially around
the site where the surgery is to be
performed. The effect of the "lytic
cocktail" has been to partially throw
out OF action the nerves which carry
sensations Of cold. So there is no chill.
One of the effects of ordinary
chilling is that when cold sensations
reach the brain an automatic protec-
tive device goes into action to increase
the metabolic rate and keep the body
temperature at normal. This is mani
tested by shaking with cold" goose
pimpleS' and the like. It is exactly
the effect the French surgeons wish to
avoid. The effect of the drug injection
on the autonomic nervous system pre-
vents this reaction from taking place.
There is a rapid drop in blood pres
sure and body temperature. The pro-
cedure must be watched very closely,
because interference with one of ma
lures adaptive mechanisms always is
quite dangerous. Refrigeration is con-
tinued for from IL to 48 hours. The
cocktail" can be repeated where
necessary. Then the condition can be
stopped by rolling the patient in
blankets.
Sixty patients with hopeless con-
ditions have been operated on with
this technique" according to the re-
port. In some cases they were dying
from severe peritoneal infection. Their
recovery shows that stress due to in
fection is just as amenable to this
treatment as traumatic stress"
Patient With Peritonitis Survives.
The most comprehensive report to
date. says the Paris correspondent, is
one made recently to the French
Academy Of Medicine by Prof. Seneque
of the Vaugirard Hospital in Paris,
covering results over two years.
The technique was tested for the first
time according to Prof. Seneque's re-
port, on woman with peritonitis, ap-
parently very close to death, with no
noticeable blood pressure or pulse. In
spite of the patients critical condition
she recovered and is in good health
today.
"There have been failures, continues
the report, "since the use of the method
has been extended beyond the field Of
surgery. Burns, tetanus, eclampsia, dis
orders in premature babies, meningitis
and neuropsychiatric disorders are
amenable to it.
Meanwhile, the physiopathologica
study Of hibernated patients is in prog
reSs. The general refrigeration, for
merly performed with ice bags, is now
obtained with improved apparatus.
The hypothermic condition may last
for 10 to Is days and rewarming must
be progressive. Contra a-indications for
Information are rare and include neither
tuberculosis nor chronic heart disease.
"Seneque reports results obtained
with so patients with an average age Of
co.. Thirty-eight had cancer, 81 had
history Of cardiac, pulmonary or kid
ney disease.
"The expected mortality for these
patients who were subjected to very
severe operations would have been rs
per cent, whereas 68 per cent survived.
He concludes that special Information
applied in desperate cases Of surgery
brings about a lowering of approxi-
mately three quarters in otherwise ex-
pected operative mortality"