The freeze-thaw-freeze cycle in a frostbite injury is a potentially serious problem for the patient.
Conditions:
(1) The victim is usually in the field.
(2) A frostbite injury is thawed.
(3) The person is re-exposed to cold and the area refreezes.
Common sites are the hands, feet and ears.
Tissue that has gone through a freeze-thaw-freeze cycle has a very high rate of becoming necrotic.
In general, it is better not to thaw a frostbite injury if there is a chance of the area refreezing. If an area has been thawed then every attempt should be made to avoid refreezing.
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