J Korean Pain Soc.  1996 Jun;9(1):215-218.

Sympathetic Ganglion Block for the Complication of Frostbite: A case report

• Yang SK
• Lee HJ
• Hwang HJ
• Lee SH
• Lee CS
• Kim C

Abstract

Frostbite involves freezing of tissues and usually affects the distal aspects of the extremities or exposed parts of the face, such as the ears, nose, chin, and cheeks. It produces tissue injury by ice crystal formation between the cells, cellular dehydration, and microvascular occulsion. There are four degrees of frostbite. First degree is accompanied by erythema and edema, second degree, by vesiculation, blistering, and eschar formation, third degree, by hemorrhagic blistering and bluish gray discoloration, and fourth degree, by injury to subcutaneous tissue, muscle, tendon, and bone leading to mottled, dry, black, and necrotic changes We succesafelly treated 2. patients suffering from frostbite by performing sympathetic ganglion block with pure alcohol We concluded sympathetic ganglion block is one of the most effective treatments for frostbite.

Keyword

Frostbite; Sympathetic ganglion block

MeSH Terms

Blister
Cheek
Chin
Dehydration
Ear
Edema
Erythema
Extremities
Freezing
Frostbite*
Ganglia, Sympathetic*
Humans
Ice
Nose
Subcutaneous Tissue
Tendons
Ice