Local cold injury affecting the hand and incident Raynaud's phenomenon - a case report

There is an association between local cold injuries and Raynaud's phenomenon (RP) in the scientific literature, but the time relation and anatomical correlation have not been established. During military training in an Arctic setting, a previously healthy man in his early twenties sustained a freezing cold injury affecting mainly his right index finger. He subsequently developed Raynaud's phenomenon limited to only the part of the index finger that was originally affected by the cold injury. Medical investigation also revealed findings suggestive of subclinical peripheral neuropathy. This case demonstrates that Raynaud's phenomenon can develop secondary to local cold injury affecting the hand. It also suggests that cold exposure could be related to peripheral neuropathy.