Frostbite

Frostbite is defined as the injury sustained by tissues subjected to temperatures below their physiological freezing point (−0.55 °C). The severity of a frostbite injury is related to the temperature, wind chill and duration of exposure to that temperature, as well as the volume of tissue subjected to cooling. As a result, a description of a frostbite injury is somewhat of an umbrella term used to describe wounds ranging from those with minimal tissue damage over small areas to substantial necrosis of entire limbs, necessitating amputation. Advances in frostbite management have improved the potential outcome in frozen injuries, and thus, it is important that front-line medical staff can recognise and treat frostbite effectively (Hallam et al. BMJ. 341:c5864, 2010).