手指凍傷に対して高気圧酸素療法を用いた2例

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Frostbite. Report of 2 Cases

　手指凍傷に対して高気圧酸素療法を用いた2例について報告する．症例1は59歳の男性で，家庭用消火器のガス漏出を手で押さえた際に凍傷を負った．重度の水疱形成と腫脹を呈したが，プロスタグランジンE1の投与および高気圧酸素療法で軽快した．症例2は62歳の男性で，自殺企図で業務用冷凍庫に入り受傷した．プロスタグランジンE1の投与と高気圧酸素療法を行い，右示・中指，左中指は切断したもののその他の手指は切断をまぬがれ可動域も改善した．高気圧酸素療法は組織壊死範囲の縮小，組織再生の促進に有用と考えられる．

　We report the case of 2 patients treated with hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy for frostbite on their hands.

　Case 1：A 59-year-old man was frostbitten when he suppressed the gas spout of a domestic fire extinguisher.　He developed blisters and swellings on his hands, which were treated with prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) and HBO.

　Case 2：A 62-year-old man was frostbitten when he tried to commit suicide by closing himself in an industrial refrigerator.　He was treated with PGE1 and HBO therapy.　His right index and middle fingers and the left middle finger were amputated because of necrosis.　The other frostbitten parts, however, healed safely.

　HBO therapy is useful because it minimizes the extent of necrosis and encourages tissue regeneration.