Artificial Hibernation

Artificial Hibernation 

an artificially created condition of retarded vital activity of the organism in warm-blooded animals, including man, similar to the condition of the organism during winter hibernation.

Artificial hibernation is created through nerve-blocking techniques that block the neural and endocrine mechanisms of thermoregulation. During artificial hibernation the organism becomes considerably more resistant to hypoxia (oxygen starvation), trauma, and other influences. On the basis of artificial hibernation, a deep narcosis can be produced with small doses of narcotic substances. This is important during large-scale surgical operations. During artificial hibernation, however, anesthesia becomes complicated and difficult to manage. Therefore, artificial hibernation has not been widely practiced. Reduced doses of nerve-blocking remedies are used as medicinal preparation for anesthesia.

REFERENCES

Zhorov, I. S. Obshchee obezbolivanie. Moscow, 1964. (Bibliography.)
Laborit, H., and P. Huguenard. Gibernoterapiia (iskusstvennaia zimniaia spiachka) v meditsinskoi praktike. Moscow, 1956. (Translated from French.)