It is a retrospective study of our big series of frostbite bone scintigraphies. The analysis of 100 cases should help us to assess the interest of this reference examination.
The precision of bone scintigraphy is limited. Moreover, it only can determine if there is a risk of amputation or not. Magnetic resonance imaging allows a direct vision of the wounded tissues. Consequently, it should be able to distinguish the safe tissues from those which are injured, source of trophic after effects, and the dead tissues which will have to be amputated. A study has been launched; the first step was to establish an imaging protocol. The second step, currently carried out, is the prospective inclusion of severely frostbitten patients.
Extrapolation of animal experimental results to man are difficult. Most of frostbite treatment protocols, based on the pathophysiology of these lesions, remain empirical. Classic treatments combine rewarming, inhibitors of the arachidonic acid cascade, vasodilators and sometimes anticoagulants. A lot of products can be found on the market, leading to various and poorly assessed successes.
Our huge recruitment of frostbite patients allows us to study different treatments in a statistic manner. The Ethic Committee's authorised us to launch a study to evaluate 3 treatments, which associate in different manners: aspirin, vasodilators and thrombolytics. This study will last 3 years and began in June 1997.
A retrospective study of about 50 patient's reports will hopefully help us to determine the responsibility of hypoxia in the onset of the ischemic coronary attack.
The DMTM took part in an exceptional operation: the Everest COMEX 1997 European experience. The aim of which was to study the adaptation of the human organism at very high altitudes. 18 experiments on different functions were performed during a simulated Everest ascent (8848m) in a hypobaric chamber in Marseilles in April 1997. Different results will be presented during the 1999 International Hypoxia Symposia, held next February 28-3 March, 1999 at Jasper Park Lodge, in the heart of the Canadian Rockies.
(c) DMTM CHAMONIX 1998