Frostbite S013

Current RMA Instruments

Changes from previous Instruments

ICD Coding

• ICD-10-AMCodes: T33, T34, T35.

Brief description

Frostbite is a thermal injury involving freezing of the skin, subcutaneous tissues or deeper tissues resulting from exposure to freezing temperatures. The condition may range from superficial injury to deep tissue damage and may result in tissue necrosis, vascular compromise or permanent tissue loss.

For the purposes of this SOP, frostbite excludes hypothermia and other cold injuries not associated with tissue freezing.

Confirming the diagnosis

The diagnosis is made clinically, based on the history of exposure to freezing conditions together with characteristic symptoms and clinical findings. Clinical assessment may include evaluation of tissue freezing injury, skin colour changes, blistering, sensory disturbance, vascular compromise, and tissue necrosis following rewarming. The full extent of tissue injury may not become apparent until after rewarming and subsequent clinical evolution.

Management and confirmation are usually undertaken in an emergency or by a specialist in a hospital setting.

Additional diagnoses covered by SOP

• Nil

Conditions excluded from SOP

• Chilblains*
• Frostnip # (no permanent tissue damage)
• Hypothermia #
• Non-freezing cold injury *

* another SOP applies  - the SOP has the same name unless otherwise specified

# non-SOP condition

Clinical onset

Frostbite is an acute condition occurring following exposure to freezing temperatures. Clinical onset generally corresponds to the time when evidence of tissue freezing injury first becomes clinically apparent.

Clinical worsening

Clinical worsening may be indicated by progression of tissue injury, vascular compromise, blistering, tissue necrosis, infection or permanent tissue loss. Adverse outcomes may occur where there is inability to obtain timely and appropriate clinical management, including rewarming and tissue preservation measures.