Abstract:
The characteristics of trauma in high altitude environment with low atmospheric pressure, low oxygen partial pressure, cold and dry climate are different from those in plain environment. This paper reviews the effects and characteristics of high altitude environment on abdominal wound site infection, and analyzes its possible mechanism. Bacterial growth and reproduction are slow in low temperature environment in the plateau, the time for the count of contaminated bacteria at the wound site to the critical value of infection is significantly prolonged as well as the relative quiescent period of the wound site infection. However, healing of the wound site would be delayed due to long-term exposure to low oxygen partial pressure and low temperature and other characteristics of the environment, and the wound site would be more prone to severe bacterial infection coupled with the impact of the plateau environment on various body functions. Therefore, the specific influence and mechanism of different altitude plateau environment on bacterial infection of abdominal wound site needs to be further clarified and studied.