In frostbite care, which statement about assessment timing is true?

• A. Pain control is unnecessary during rewarming
• B. The extent of injury may take hours to days to assess
• C. Rewarming should be performed with dry heat only
• D. Rewarming should be avoided until swelling subsides

Answer: (B)

In frostbite care, the amount of tissue injured isn’t always clear right away. The full extent of damage often becomes evident only after thawing and over the next hours to days, as edema develops, perfusion changes occur, and blisters form. Because the injury can evolve after rewarming, serial assessments are essential to gauge viability and guide ongoing treatment.

That’s why the correct statement is that the extent of injury may take hours to days to assess. The other points don’t fit because pain control is important during rewarming, not unnecessary; rewarming is typically done with warm water (not dry heat) to restore perfusion safely; and rewarming should not be delayed until swelling subsides, since prompt thawing helps prevent further tissue loss and allows viability to be reassessed over time.