Cold injuries: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 06:22, 3 December 2013

Frostbite occurs only when ambient temperatures are well below freezing
Nonfreezing cold injuries occur due to exposure to wet conditions when temper >freezing

Prolonged exposure to temp >freezing leads to mild necrosis of subcutaneous fat tissue
Seen in children (popsicles) and women involved in equestrian activities
Resolution may result in adipose fibrosis w/ cosmetic defects
- There is no treatment

Tintinalli

Authors:

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 ==[[Trench Foot]]==
-==Pernio (Chilblains)==
+==[[Pernio (Chilblains)]]==
-===Background===
-*Mild but uncomfortable inflammatory lesions of skin
-**Caused by long-term intermittent exposure to damp, nonfreezing ambient temperatures
-*Primarily a disease of women and children
-===Clinical Features===
-*Hands, ears, lower legs, feet most commonly affected
-*Symptoms
-**Tingling, numbness, pruritus, burning paresthesias
-**Cutaneous manifestations appear up to 12hr after acute exposure:
-**Localized edema, erythema, cyanosis, plaques, nodules
-***May progress in rare cases to ulcerations, vesicles, and bullae
-**Rewarming may result in formation of tender blue nodules which may persist for days
-===Treatment===
-*Affected skin should be rewarmed, gently bandaged, and elevated
-*Nifedipine 20mg PO TID may be helpful as both prophylactic and therapeutic tx
-*Topical corticosteroids and oral steroid burst have been shown to be useful
 ==Cold Panniculitis==