artificial hypothermia

artificial hypothermia

[¦ärd·ə¦fish·əl ‚hī·pō′thər·mē·ə] (medicine) A surgical technique used, for example, in heart surgery, in which blood is cooled by a heat exchanger; body temperature is lowered to approximately 85°F (29.4°C), reducing oxygen requirements of tissues, particularly brain cells, and permitting temporary cessation of circulation.