HOUSTON – Some Houston hospitals are using cool, cutting-edge technology to save lives. They're inducing hypothermia in heart-attack patients arriving in the emergency room.
Many have heard about hypothermia producing amazing results on patients with spinal-cord injuries. But now a new procedure, which lowers the patient’s temperature, is being used on heart-attack victims.
Richard Ferrington, 71, said he’s alive today because of the treatment he got at Memorial Hermann Southeast Hospital.
On the night of July 18, he suffered a massive heart attack. By the time he arrived at the hospital, he was in terrible shape. Doctors said he was technically dead.
"Although his heart was functioning, his brain was completely dead, there was no function, his brain function was nothing," said Dr. Karan Bhalla.
The doctors decided Ferrington was a perfect candidate for the hypothermia treatment. They pumped cold saline into the patient’s bloodstream to bring down his temperature to save his brain and other neurological functions from damage.
As they brought down their patient’s temperature, they opened up the blockage in his artery. Doctors said Ferrington is alive because of the hypothermia treatment.
"Didn’t know anything about it, but evidently worked pretty good," said Ferrington. "I’m living proof."
