A Randomized Trial Comparing 2 Methods for Rapid Induction of Cooling in Stroke Patients, Cold Infusions vs. EMCOOLS Brain.Pad (iCOOL 3)

Mild hypothermia improves outcome in patients with global cerebral ischemia after cardiac arrest. Hypothermia seems promising also in other acute hypoxic-ischemic or in brain swelling associated cerebrovascular disease. The narrow-time-frame is a major issue (\"time is brain\"). To provide immediate cooling without delay, easy to use, mobile and effective methods are needed. Cold infusions (4 °C) are an accepted standard worldwide. EMCOOLS Brain.Pad (Emergency Medical Cooling Systems AG, Wien, Austria) is a new non-invasive surface cooling system. A comparison of these two induction methods has never been done before. Neither was the effect of the EMCOOLS Brain.Pad on brain-temperature measured. For the first time iCOOL 3 compares feasibility, safety and efficacy of the two methods.