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Frostbite

Floyd Pipkorn

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Frostbite by Floyd Pipkorn Mind Map: Frostbite

1. Dehydration is common, expect to treat this as well.

2. Signs and symptoms of Frostbite

2.1. Superficial Frostbite

2.1.1. Burning

2.1.2. Numbness

2.1.3. Tingling

2.1.4. Itching

2.1.5. Redness

2.1.6. Swelling/blistering

2.1.7. Pain

2.2. Deep Frostbite

2.2.1. Blood filled blisters

2.2.2. White or yellowish waxy skin color that may turn deep purple.

2.2.3. May turn blackened and appear necrotic

2.2.4. Hardened skin texture

2.2.5. Mummified substructure

3. Emergency Response

3.1. Warm area rapidly but using safe methods (no direct heat sources). Avoid gradual reheating of tissue.

3.2. Treat for hypothermia

3.3. DO NOT rub or message area

3.4. Seek medical treatment immediately

3.5. DO NOT expose to cold temperatures again (tissue will be very susceptible to even mildly cold temperatures)

4. Medical Treamtents

4.1. Rapid water bath and imersion of effected tissue of tempretures from 104 - 107 F until tissue is thawed (around 15 - 30min in most cases)

4.2. Narcotics for pain management (often thawing of tissue is extremely painful)

4.2.1. Antibiotic therapy is used for treatment of open wounds.

4.3. Anti-inflammatory medications are used to prevent further damage due to the inflammation process and frostbite.

4.4. Water bath submersion is used to clear away dead tissue and is done regularly in sever cases.

4.5. Treatment of nacrtoic tissue (debredment, excision, etc)

4.6. Amputation of affected digits/limbs

5. Wind chill and time it takes for Frostbite

6. Definition: Frost bite occurs when the temperature is sufficiently cold enough to freeze the skin and cause damage to tissue. There are four degrees of frostbite (two categorizes are often used though)

6.1. Frostnip: crystallization inside tissue occurs but there is no tissue damage (First degree Frostbite)

6.2. Superficial Frostbite: Crystallization and tissue damage occurs but is often limited to the outer layers of skin. Blisters may form and the upper layer of skin may blacken. (Second degree Frostbite)

6.3. Deep Frostbite: The muscles, blood vessels, tendons, etc all freeze. Crystallization occurs around cells and draws out water causing cell death. Damage is often permanent and may need to be amputated. (Third and Fourth degree Frostbite).

7. Diagnostic tools

7.1. History is the best diagnostic tool (how long was the exposure, what temperatures, what was the weather, what where they wearing, etc)

7.2. X-Rays (often weeks after event)

7.3. Often the full extent of the injury will not be determined until weeks after the exposure. It is only determined when the healing is completed.

8. References: http://www.baltimoremd.com/content/frostbite.html http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/frostbite?page=4 http://antarcticfudgesicles.wordpress.com/afsa-student-page/how-long-does-it-take-to-get-frostbite/