Immersion foot

Tf nchfoot, also known as immersion foot, results from exposures below 53°F (12°C) for several days. Moisture from cold and sweat contributes to this hazard. Feet and legs become cold, pale, and numb, and cease to sweat. Nerve injury is frequent and loss of sensitivity may persist for weeks, even after the feet have been warmed. 

Immersion foot is a more severe version of trenchfoot. The disorder has occurred among downed pilots and ship evacuees who spend long hours in life rafts. 

Akers WA (1974) Paddy foot. A warm water immersion foot syndrome. Milit Med 139 605... 

Allen AA (1973) Tropical immersion foot. Lancet 197 1185-1189 Christopher E, Griffiths M, Transfaglia G, Karig S (1995) Prolonged occlusion in the treatment of psoriasis. A clinical and immunohistologic study. J Am Acad Dermatol 32 618 Dalziel K, Dykes PJ, Marks R (1984) Inflammation due to intracutaneous implantation of stratum corneum. Br J Exp Pathol 65 107... 

Chow S, Westfried M, Lynfield Y (1980) Immersion foot an occupational disease. Cutis 25 662 Cooper MD, Jardine H, Ferguson J (1992) Seasonal influence on the occurrence of dry flaking facial skin. In Marks RG, Plewig G (eds) The environmental threat to the skin. M. Dunitz, London, pp 159-164... 

Huh J, Wright R, Gregory N (1996) Localized facial telangiectasias following frostbite injury. Cutis 57 97-98 Humphrey W, Ellyson R (1997) Warm water immersion foot still a threat to the soldier. Mil Med 162 610-611 Jonsson CE, Schuldt K, Linder J, Bjornhagen V, Ekholm J (1997) Rehabilitative, psychiatric, functional and aesthetic problems in patients treated for burn injuries-a preliminary follow-up study. Acta Chir Plast 39 3-8... 

Renz BM, Sherman R (1994) Hot tar burns twenty-seven hospitalized cases. J Burn Care Rehabil 15 341-345 Rietschel RL, Allen AM (1976) Immersion foot a method for studying the effects of protracted water exposure on human skin. Mil Med 141 778-780... 

White IR, Rycroft RJG (1982) Low humidity occupational dermatosis - an epidemic. Contact Dermatitis 8 287-290 Woods JA, Cobb AT, Drake DB, Edlich RF (1996) Steam press hand burns a serious burn injury. J Emerg Med 14 357-360 Wrenn K (1991) Immersion foot. A problem of the homeless in the 1990s. Arch Intern Med 151 785-788 Zalar GL, Harber LC (1985) Reactions to physical agents. In Moschella SL, Hurley HJ (eds) Dermatology, 2nd edn. Saunders, Philadelphia, pp 1672-1690... 

The main cold injuries are frostnip, frostbite, immersion foot, and trenchfoot, which occur in localized areas of the body. Frostnip is the mildest form of cold injury. It occurs when ear lobes, noses, cheeks, hngers, or toes are exposed to cold. The skin of the affected area turns white. Frostnip can be prevented by warm clothing and is treated by simple rewarming. 

Immersion foot occurs in individuals whose feet have been wet, but not freezing cold, for days or weeks. The primary injury is to nerve and muscle tissue. Symptoms are numbness, swelling, or even superficial gangrene. Trenchfoot is wet cold disease resulting from exposure to moisture at or near the freezing point for one to several days. Symptoms are similar to immersion foot (swelling and tissue damage). 

Trenchfoot and immersion foot may occur at any point on this chart. 

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