Surviving a classic heat stroke/hyperthermia > 42 °C – a case report

• Published in: International journal of emergency medicine 2024-09, Vol.17 (1), p.120-7, Article 120
• Main Authors: Schmidt, Sonja Verena, Hinzmann, Jannik, Stammler, Anna, Wilhelms zu Bickern, Paula, Macedo Santos, Elisabete, Lehnhardt, Marcus, Wallner, Christoph
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anesthesia; Angiology; Antibiotics; Blood pressure; Body temperature; Brief Report; Burns; Cardiology; Case report; Case reports; Catecholamines; Cooling; Emergency medical care; Emergency Medicine; Facial reconstruction; Failure; Fever; Heat; Heat stroke; Heatstroke; Hospitals; Hyperthermia; Intensive care; Internal Medicine; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Paramedics; Pediatrics; Trauma
• ISSN: 1865-1380; 1865-1372; 1865-1380
• DOI: 10.1186/s12245-024-00705-2

Introduction Classic heat stroke is a severe trauma which can lead to multi-organ dysfunctions and is associated with a high mortality. Case presentation In this case report we present a 73-year-old patient with a classic heat stroke. His initial core body temperature was over 42 °C and he had a GCS of 3. Due to severe burn injuries the patient was transferred to a specialized burn center. The patient developed different organ failures and showed a prolonged course on the intensive care unit. Although the patient demonstrated different impaired organ systems, he recovered completely after receiving painstaking supportive therapy. Conclusions This is a rare case of a patient who fully recovered after a heat stroke with a temperature over 42 °C and severe sequelae.