Adenosine Triphosphate Changes Induced by Cold, Heat and Crush Injury

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Abstract
Right legs of rabbits were exposed to local cold, heat and crush injury. The tibialis anticus and extensor digitorum longus muscles removed 18 hours after trauma show significant alterations in adenosine triphosphate levels where the limbs were exposed to a temperature of -15[degree]C, 50[degree]C, or crushed. In the case of the cold injury, no significant decrease in adenosine triphosphate content occurs unless the limb was frozen, in which case it is decreased by approximately 90%. Heat and crush, under the conditions employed, produces a 50% decrease in adenosine triphosphate content. It appears at the time of analysis that processes leading to the breakdown of adenosine triphosphate are completed, since no further breakdown products are detected either in the tissue or in the plasma. These results suggest that therapeutic measures aimed at maintaining the adenosine triphosphate level and the systems which generate it must be carried out as soon as possible following injury.