When the patient reaches a hospital or a facility for definitive care, the following treatment should be employed:

1. Maintain continued vigilance to avoid further damage to the injured tissue. In general, this is accomplished by keeping the patient at bed rest with the injured part elevated (on surgically clean sheets) and with sterile pieces of cotton separating the toes or fingers. Expose all lesions to the air at normal room temperature. Weight bearing on injured tissue must be avoided.

2. Whirlpool baths, twice daily at 98.6F (37C) with surgical soap added, assist in superficial debridement, reduce superficial bacterial contamination, and make range of motion exercises more tolerable.

3. Analgesics may be required in the early post- thaw days but will soon become unnecessary in uncomplicated cases.

4. Encourage the patient to take a nutritious diet with adequate fluid intake to maintain hydration.

5. Perform superficial debridement of ruptured blebs, and remove suppurative scabs and partially detached nails.