[Pre-amputation freezing of the extremity in acute ischemic gangrene].

When preparing for amputation in 153 patients with acute ischemic gangrene of a lower extremity, the tourniquet-cold isolation was used. In 137 patients, the damaged extremity was freezed by means of a special portable freezing chamber, which can be used in any surgical in-patient department. The duration of cooling ranged from 18 hrs to 14 days. The state improved in 136 patients, the amputation of the extremity was performed in them. The use of freezing of the damaged extremity permitted to reduce the postoperative lethality from 41 to 19.1%. A high effectiveness of the method in gangrene of the extremity against the background of diabetes mellitus was noted.