ISSN: 2574-7800
Authors: Iqbal A*, Jan A, Ali Quraishi H, Islam N, Raheem A and Rashid A
Frostbite is a freezing, cold thermal injury, which occurs when tissues are exposed to temperatures below their freezing point for a sustained period of times. Frostbite is commonly found in countries with extreme cold climate and mostly found in military. Now a day’s frostbite is found in people associated with winter sports like skiing, hiking, ice climbing. In frostbite two distinct mechanisms, cellular death and necrosis are responsible for dermal ischemia. The extracellular ice crystals are initially formed due to freezing of tissues. These crystals disturb the osmotic gradient of the cell membrane and directly damaging the cell. Causing intracellular dehydration .The intracellular electrolyte concentration increases dramatically initiating cell death. Due to continuous fall in tissue temperature, there is formation of intracellular ice crystals and later theses ice crystals expand leading to mechanical detoration of cells. Anatomically hands and feet account for 90 % of reported injuries, and the others parts involved can be face, buttocks and penis. The role of thromboxane’s and prostaglandins has resulted in more active approach to the medical treatment of frostbite. However this study of leeching in frostbite showed outstanding results in the treatment of all forms of frostbite with very low recurrence rate.
Keywords: Frostbite; Leeching; Hirudotherapy
