Alberta Health Services (AHS) says amputations with a diagnosis of frostbite increased in the fiscal year 2021/22 in the Edmonton zone due to a number of factors..Frostbite is an injury caused by the freezing of the skin and underlying tissues..Edmonton doctors conducted 91 amputations due to frostbite last year from the 40 amputations from the previous 12-month period.."Increased numbers of overdoses attributable to the fentanyl crisis during the past three to four years have also contributed to higher numbers of individuals suffering frostbite," AHS told the Western Standard via email..AHS said that the increase is likely due to unhoused homeless during the harsh winter in the city..Emergency department and urgent care centre visits with a diagnosis of frostbite also increased during the fiscal year 2021/22 for similar reasons.."While not all homeless are unhoused during the cold winter months, many struggle with multiple issues including mental health, addictions, and general health problems," AHS said.."Barriers to accessing community and health supports, especially during the pandemic, were also compounding factors that may have contributed to higher incidents of frostbite-related amputations.".AHS said there are medical interventions commonly undertaken before a decision to proceed to surgical amputation which includes debriding (cleaning out dead tissue), and the treatment of any subsequent infections if they develop..Frostbite is most common on the fingers, toes, nose, ears, cheeks and chin. Exposed skin in cold and windy weather is most vulnerable to frostbite. But frostbite can occur on skin covered by gloves or other clothing..The first sign is skin becomes very cold and red, then numb, hard and pale. As frostbite progresses, it affects all layers of the skin, including the tissues that lie below. The skin turns white or bluish-gray and you may experience numbness, losing all sensations of cold, pain or discomfort in the affected area..Frostbite occurs in several stages:.FrostnipSuperficial frostbiteDeep (severe) frostbite.Frostnip.Frostnip is a mild form of frostbite and continued exposure leads to numbness in the affected area. As your skin warms, you may feel pain and tingling. However, frostnip doesn’t permanently damage the skin. You can treat frostnip with first-aid measures, including rewarming the affected skin..All other frostbite requires medical attention because it can damage skin, tissues, muscle and bones, with possible complications of severe frostbite including infection and nerve damage..Superficial frostbite.Superficial frostbite appears as reddened skin that turns white or pale. Your skin may begin to feel warm — a sign of serious skin involvement..If you treat frostbite with rewarming at this stage, the surface of your skin may appear mottled. And you may notice stinging, burning and swelling. A fluid-filled blister may appear 12 to 36 hours after rewarming the skin..Deep (severe) frostbite.As frostbite progresses, it affects all layers of the skin, including the tissues that lie below..Your skin will turn white or bluish-gray and you may experience numbness, losing all sensations of cold, pain or discomfort in the affected area. Joints or muscles may no longer work. Large blisters form 24 to 48 hours after rewarming. Afterward, the area turns black and hard as the tissue dies..Usually, physicians wait several days to weeks to see if the digit or limb will demarcate (i.e. to clearly assess where the healthy vs dead tissue is) and then amputate the least amount possible," AHS said.."Amputation due to frostbite is a life-changing medical procedure and is only undertaken in circumstances when the tissue will not heal and/or the digit/limb has become severely infected and is threatening a person’s life."
Alberta Health Services (AHS) says amputations with a diagnosis of frostbite increased in the fiscal year 2021/22 in the Edmonton zone due to a number of factors..Frostbite is an injury caused by the freezing of the skin and underlying tissues..Edmonton doctors conducted 91 amputations due to frostbite last year from the 40 amputations from the previous 12-month period.."Increased numbers of overdoses attributable to the fentanyl crisis during the past three to four years have also contributed to higher numbers of individuals suffering frostbite," AHS told the Western Standard via email..AHS said that the increase is likely due to unhoused homeless during the harsh winter in the city..Emergency department and urgent care centre visits with a diagnosis of frostbite also increased during the fiscal year 2021/22 for similar reasons.."While not all homeless are unhoused during the cold winter months, many struggle with multiple issues including mental health, addictions, and general health problems," AHS said.."Barriers to accessing community and health supports, especially during the pandemic, were also compounding factors that may have contributed to higher incidents of frostbite-related amputations.".AHS said there are medical interventions commonly undertaken before a decision to proceed to surgical amputation which includes debriding (cleaning out dead tissue), and the treatment of any subsequent infections if they develop..Frostbite is most common on the fingers, toes, nose, ears, cheeks and chin. Exposed skin in cold and windy weather is most vulnerable to frostbite. But frostbite can occur on skin covered by gloves or other clothing..The first sign is skin becomes very cold and red, then numb, hard and pale. As frostbite progresses, it affects all layers of the skin, including the tissues that lie below. The skin turns white or bluish-gray and you may experience numbness, losing all sensations of cold, pain or discomfort in the affected area..Frostbite occurs in several stages:.FrostnipSuperficial frostbiteDeep (severe) frostbite.Frostnip.Frostnip is a mild form of frostbite and continued exposure leads to numbness in the affected area. As your skin warms, you may feel pain and tingling. However, frostnip doesn’t permanently damage the skin. You can treat frostnip with first-aid measures, including rewarming the affected skin..All other frostbite requires medical attention because it can damage skin, tissues, muscle and bones, with possible complications of severe frostbite including infection and nerve damage..Superficial frostbite.Superficial frostbite appears as reddened skin that turns white or pale. Your skin may begin to feel warm — a sign of serious skin involvement..If you treat frostbite with rewarming at this stage, the surface of your skin may appear mottled. And you may notice stinging, burning and swelling. A fluid-filled blister may appear 12 to 36 hours after rewarming the skin..Deep (severe) frostbite.As frostbite progresses, it affects all layers of the skin, including the tissues that lie below..Your skin will turn white or bluish-gray and you may experience numbness, losing all sensations of cold, pain or discomfort in the affected area. Joints or muscles may no longer work. Large blisters form 24 to 48 hours after rewarming. Afterward, the area turns black and hard as the tissue dies..Usually, physicians wait several days to weeks to see if the digit or limb will demarcate (i.e. to clearly assess where the healthy vs dead tissue is) and then amputate the least amount possible," AHS said.."Amputation due to frostbite is a life-changing medical procedure and is only undertaken in circumstances when the tissue will not heal and/or the digit/limb has become severely infected and is threatening a person’s life."
