J Trauma
-
The case of a 41-year-old man with an embolus in the left popliteal artery following multiple injuries suffered in an auto accident is presented. Following popliteal embolectomy, a rupture of the descending thoracic aorta was demonstrated and repaired. The need for aortography in patients with severe blunt chest trauma who develop hypertension is emphasized.
-
Massive wound edema after a burn may impair healing and help to convert partial to full-thickness injury. Cold treatment (usually by immersion) has been reported to decrease wound edema and is useful in first-aid treatment of burns. Reliable quantitative data have been lacking and frequently a superficial burn has been studied. ⋯ Immediate application of cold by immersion in 15 degrees C saline for 30 minutes reduced the edema of a deep second-degree burn and did not impair resorption rate compared with control limbs, fluid content returning to baseline after 1 week. Cold treatment beginning 2 minutes after the burn did not decrease edema formation and did impair resorption. Fifteen per cent of the edema fluid was still present 1 week postburn, suggesting further injury to the burn wound vasculature with use of cold immersion 2 minutes postburn.