[Microwave therapy of frostbite of the extremities]

In the experiment, frostbite of the hind legs in rabbits was induced for 3 hours. The extremities of 12 animals of the experimental group were influenced with UHF-field with a wavelength of 12.6 cm of nonthermal intensity (3 W) for 10 minutes one time after termination of cold influence. The extremities of 18 rabbits of the control group were warmed in a natural way. The milder course of cold trauma in animals of the experimental group manifesting itself in higher temperature of a skin of the damaged extremity, more rapid disappearance of edema and lesser spreading of cyanosis, tissue necrosis of an extremity--(7.6 +/- 2.5) and (11.7 +/- 1.2) cm, respectively--was noted. The authors consider that microwave therapy can be included into the complex of measures at the early period of treatment of local cold trauma.