Hypothermia therapy for severe brain injury

128 patients with Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) on admission of 8 or less were divided into three groups and their CT findings and clinical outcome were reviewed to investigate the efficacy of the hypothermia therapy (HT). In all three groups. patients with GCS of 8 or 7 did not underwent HT. HT was not introduced for the patients with GCS of 6 or less in group A, HT with 34 degrees C was underwent in group B and HT with 32 degrees C in group C. The outcome of the patients with GCS of 7 or 8 without HT was better than that with 6 or less and a swelling in CT is the strong indicator to affect the outcome. Five out of 9 patients with HT in Group C survived and one improved to moderate disability even though his CT showed a swelling. Although HT had little efficacy for patients with GCS of 7 or 8, HT can improve the mortality of patients with GCS of 6 or less and it might have a possibility to improve the clinical outcome.