Citation

Mohr WJ, Jenabzadeh K, Ahrenholz DH. Hand Clin. 2009; 25(4): 481-496.

Affiliation

The Burn Center, Department of Trauma and General Surgery, Regions Hospital, Mail Stop 11105C, 640 Jackson Street, St. Paul, MN 55101, USA. william.j.mohr@healthpartners.com

Copyright

(Copyright © 2009, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.hcl.2009.06.004

PMID

19801122

Abstract

The pathophysiology of true frostbite reveals that the direct injury produced during the initial freeze process has a minor contribution to the global tissue damage. However, rapid rewarming to reverse the tissue crystallization has essentially been the lone frostbite intervention for almost half a century. The major pathologic process is the progressive microvascular thrombosis following reperfusion of the ischemic limb, with the cold-damaged endothelial cells playing a central role in the outcome of these frozen tissues. Newer interventions offer the opportunity to combat this process, and this article offers a scientific approach to frostbite injuries of the upper extremities.

Language: en