A Tibetan adolescent girl suffered frostbite on the journey of pilgrimage: A case report

Frostbite in Southwestern China has been overlooked due to its low incidence, relatively mild temperature and lack of literature published before. However, it needs to be further studied for religious diversity and distinct geomorphology. In this article, we reported an 18-year-old Tibetan girl who...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Yue Xiao, Dan Hao, Yue Xin, Xian Jiang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2022-05-01
Series:Chinese Journal of Traumatology
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1008127521001814
Description
Summary:Frostbite in Southwestern China has been overlooked due to its low incidence, relatively mild temperature and lack of literature published before. However, it needs to be further studied for religious diversity and distinct geomorphology. In this article, we reported an 18-year-old Tibetan girl who suffered from blizzard attack during pilgrimage. Her feet and several fingers showed mummified gangrene upon physical examination with poor movement. She was diagnosed with 3rd to 4th degree of frostbite. The girl was given oral ibuprofen, debridement and other regular treatment daily, but she was eventually amputated due to insufficient thrombolytic management in primary hospital, delayed informing consent in the referral hospital and ethnic conflict between religion and guidelines. This case enriched the experience of managing complex frostbite in Tibetan population and alarms that efforts should be integrated to protect pilgrims and mountaineers in the Tibetan region.
ISSN:1008-1275