Undersea Hyperbar M
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Undersea Hyperbar M · Jun 2019
Case ReportsEarly treatment of frostbite with hyperbaric oxygen and pentoxifylline: a case report.
While several published cases have reported tissue preservation with hyperbaric oxygen (HBO2) after frostbite, its routine use is not endorsed by expert consensus. We report a case of possible frostbite injury to the toes of both feet and the plantar surface of the left foot in a 17-year-old male patient. The exposure history included two episodes of rewarming followed by refreezing in the field during a hike through knee-deep snow without adequate clothing. ⋯ The patient was followed for 12 months from injury. This case report highlights the difficulty health care providers face to accurately diagnose frostbite within the first 24 hours of injury, prior to development of more definitive signs and symptoms. Early treatment during this critical period may preserve tissue and function.