Giant Osborn Waves in Hypothermia

A 47-year-old man with chronic schizophrenia was hospitalized after prolonged hypothermia. The initial electrocardiogram revealed Osborn waves (arrowheads) similar in amplitude to the R waves. Characteristic sinus bradycardia and prolongation of the QRS interval and the corrected QT interval (QTc) were also noted. During rewarming, the Osborn waves diminished in amplitude, and they disappeared after 24 hours. The baseline tremor artifact caused by shivering (arrows) resolved on normalization of the patient's core body temperature. In 1953, Dr. John Osborn described the J wave as an “injury current” resulting in ventricular fibrillation during experimental hypothermia. More recent findings suggest that hypothermia . . .