Frostbite injury: a paragliding accident at 5500 meters.

Frostbite as a result of mountaineering or arctic expeditions is a well-known problem. In this article a rare case of frostbite injury following a paragliding accident at high altitude is described. A cumulonimbus cloud formation drifted the patient up with a high velocity to approximately 5500 m. He acquired frostbite injuries of the neck, wrists, hands and left leg, affecting 5% of the total body surface area. The frostbite was initially treated by rewarming, with later debridement and local application of silver sulfadiazine and povidone-iodine dressings. Within three months all the injuries were healed.