Lumbar epidural sympathectomy for frostbite injuries of the feet.

Fourteen patients with pain and paresthesias secondary to frostbite injury were treated with lumbar sympathetic blockade. The majority of patients had an excellent response to 48 hours of continuous epidural blockade with no recurrence of symptoms after blockade. Those patients who had a limited response to epidural blockade responded well to surgical lumbar sympathectomy. Lumbar sympathetic blockade is a safe and effective technique for treating the symptoms associated with frostbite injury.