[Drug modification of post-traumatic edema of the extremities by the proteinase inhibitor aprotinin. An animal experiment study].

Posttraumatic edema remains a serious problem in traumatology. Unrecognized or improperly treated, edema poses a threat to the survival of any extremity, particularly the hand, where a number of intricate functional structures are at stake. This study, as well as other recent clinical and experimental work, show that aprotinin, a proteinase inhibitor, is valuable in the treatment of posttraumatic edema, provided it is given as early as possible and in an adequate dosage.