Edmonton sees record rise in amputations due to frostbite, despite innovative treatments
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Like many Albertans this time of year, Lewis Francescotti is thinking about the weather.
But not because it affected him.
“It snowed last night, so the temperatures are well below zero,” said an Edmonton emergency physician.
“As we speak, frostbite is probably occurring in men and women right now. And so my colleagues will probably start treating this year’s round of frostbite today or tomorrow.”
Some of the frostbite injuries will eventually lead to amputation, he said – especially if the person lacks housing and gets frostbite again on the same tissue.
“About two to three weeks ago, I saw two patients whose amputation sites had become infected due to frostbite the previous year,” Francescutti said.
“In other words, we’re still dealing with frostbite from a year ago. And now these men and women are still homeless and are likely going to re-injure themselves.”
More amputations, more homeless patients
Frostbite amputations have increased in Edmonton for the second year in a row, according to Alberta Health Services data obtained by CBC News.
113 amputations performed in Edmonton with diagnosis of frostbite last winter – more than five times the number recorded in fiscal year 2019.
More than half of those procedures were performed on patients experiencing homelessness.
