The effects of cooling on the microvasculature after thermal injury

The application of cold water to allay pain and reduce edema in burned skin is known to be effective. Evidence suggests that the immediate application of cold water to a burned area reduces spreading of injury and subsequent necrosis. Several mechanisms have been suggested as the primary reason for the inflammatory response that appears after thermal injury, one of these being a damaged circulation. The purpose of this study was to see if cold water protected the circulation and if it contributed in this way to reducing the effects of the burn. Microscopic observations of blood vessels in the bat's wing were made following thermal injury produced by heating a 3-cm diameter for 30 sec at 55°. Comparisons were made of the vessels of animals subjected for 4 hr to cold water (18–20°) flowing over the burned area and untreated animals. Significant differences were found in edema formation and subsequent renewal of normal flow.