Systemic Hypothermia in Acute Cervical Spinal Cord Injury

To deliver intravascular hypothermia, an Alsius Icy CoolGuard® catheter (US Food and Drug Administration approved, Premarket Notification \[510(k), K030421\]; Alsius Corporation, Irvine, California) will be inserted through the femoral vein using a sterile technique. Patients will be cooled at a maximum rate (2-2.5 ºC/hr.) until they reach the target temperature (T 33 ºC), which will be maintained for 48 hours, and then re-warmed at 0.1 ºC/hr. until normothermia (T 37ºC) is achieved.