Amputation Risk Factors in Severely Frostbitten Patients

Anna Carceller, Casimiro Javierre, Martín Ríos and Ginés Viscor
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Anna Carceller: Secció de Fisiologia, Departament de Biologia Cel·lular, Fisiologia i Immunologia, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
Casimiro Javierre: Departament de Ciències Fisiològiques, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat de Barcelona, 08907 Barcelona, Spain
Martín Ríos: Secció d’Estadística, Departament de Genètica, Estadística i Microbiologia, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
Ginés Viscor: Secció de Fisiologia, Departament de Biologia Cel·lular, Fisiologia i Immunologia, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 8, 1-8

Abstract: In recent years, the incidence of frostbite has increased among healthy young adults who practice winter sports (skiing, mountaineering, ice climbing and technical climbing/alpinism) at both the professional and amateur levels. Moreover, given that the population most frequently affected is healthy and active, frostbite supposes a substantial interruption of their normal activity and in most cases is associated with long-term sequelae. It particularly has a higher impact when the affected person’s daily activities require exposure to cold environments, as either sports practices or work activities in which low temperatures are a constant (ski patrols, mountain guides, avalanche forecasters, workers in the cold chain, etc.). Clinical experience with humans shows a limited reversibility of injuries via potential tissue regeneration, which can be fostered with optimal medical management. Data were collected from 92 frostbitten patients in order to evaluate factors that represent a risk of amputation after severe frostbite. Mountain range, years of expertise in winter mountaineering, time elapsed before rewarming and especially altitude were the most important factors for a poor prognosis.

Keywords: frostbite; risk factors; amputation; winter sports (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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