HYPOTHERMIA can be a blessing or a curse for our patients. Cardiac surgery, neurosurgery and intensive care are fields in which cooling of the body increases chances for recovery. Medical research is conducted in the entire world which aims to expand the use of hypothermia onto other spheres of medical practice.

Unfortunately, hypothermia may also claim life. It may be a curse for those who live, work or rest in cold climate zones and for those who live in poverty right on our doorstep... It can strike hard and rough, but it can also be cunning and devious. The malicious side of hypothermia is the subject of the book which we present to our Readers. It was written by a group of people who have been studying intricacies of hypothermia for years? physicians, paramedics, mountain rescuers, and specialists in technical fields.

We hope that the knowledge contained here will help to discover and comprehend hypothermia together with the modern methods of its treatment. Technological advancement offers us constantly new capabilities efficient and safe rewarming. Extracorporeal rewarming should not be considered 'a last-ditch effort'. Early diagnosis, identification of risk factors, and qualification of patients for extracorporeal life support enable a more efficient treatment. Delays in reporting of hypothermic patients and incomprehensible decision halting, often met in practice, determine eventual prognosis in this group of patients.