Effect of Inositol and Rapid Rewarming on Extent of Tissue Damage Due to Cold Injury

¹ From the Biology Department, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts

There is an inverse relationship between the extent of edema and the degree of tissue loss due to cold injury. Rapid rewarming favors edema but reduces tissue necrosis. Inositol markedly increases edema in nonrewarmed controls but considerably reduces tissue loss. Maximum therapeutic results were obtained through the simultaneous use of rapid rewarming and inositol injection, although rewarming proved to be the best single therapy. The tissue damage due to cold injury is directly proportional to the duration of exposure to cold.