Pediatric Frostbite Treated by Negative Pressure Wound Therapy.

Frostbite injury in children can lead to abnormal growth and premature fusion of the epiphyseal cartilage with long-term sequela including, but not limited to, arthroses, deformity, and amputation of the phalanges. This was a retrospective chart review of pediatric frostbite identified in an in-house burn center registry from March 1999 to March 2014. Therapeutic management included negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT). Three patients (age 16-31 months) had frostbitten hands because they were outside in cold weather without gloves. They presented within 24 hours after injury, underwent 5-6 days of NPWT after excision of blisters, and did not lose the distal portion of their digits, or require amputations. On follow-up, all hands were healed well with only minimal or no effect on the growth plate of these pediatric patients. In the early period after frostbite, NPWT may be beneficial in preserving the epiphyseal cartilage in children and preventing long-term complications.