Burns : journal of the International Society for Burn Injuries
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Despite the widespread use of liquid nitrogen, there are few reports of injuries caused by the use of this substance. We report a case in which a severe liquid nitrogen burn, requiring digital amputation, occurred despite the wearing of protective gloves. This case illustrates the potential dangers of working with liquid nitrogen, and raises questions as to whether adequate precautions are being taken to prevent such injuries.
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Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Micrografting in the treatment of severely burned patients.
The micrografting technique, employed to treat patients with extensive TBSA burns and reduced areas of healthy donor skin, was assessed simultaneously with traditional mesh grafts (STSG) or Tiersch grafts in the treatment five severely burned subjects (average TBSA burned 35.6 per cent; average per cent of full thickness wounds 32.6 per cent). At the first clinical control on day 6 post-surgery, 93 per cent of the micrografted area was in situ and health; epithelialization of the wound sites was complete at day 21. ⋯ Although the micrograft technique is labour-intensive, if the expansion needed is at least 1:6, the aesthetic and functional results obtained are comparable to, or better than, those with meshed grafts. Also, large segments of micrograft are not compromised if a small area of mesh becomes detached, and epithelialization is faster and more uniform, enabling a reduction in both infection and length of hospital stay.
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Electrocution due to contact of construction equipment with power lines is not uncommon as a source of industrial injury. We report seven such cases. Two patients sustained cardiac arrest and were successfully resuscitated at the scene. ⋯ In all cases, the patient was on the ground touching the machinery or touching cables connected to the machinery at the time of injury. The importance of exercising due care in industrial safety measures is stressed. Prompt CPR was life saving in two cases.
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An unusual cause of burn, contact with boiling wax by children and adolescents during the annual mid-autumn festival in Hong Kong is presented. 57 patients who suffered from hot wax burn over the period 1986-1996 were admitted to the Burns Unit of the Prince of Wales Hospital. This special burn should be preventable by public education.
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A retrospective review of the patients with electrical injuries admitted over a 5-year period was performed to establish the frequency of cardiac complications. There were 145 admissions during this time. A total of 128 (88 per cent) were low voltage injuries and 17 (12 per cent) were high voltage (> 1000 V) injuries. ⋯ Cardiac complications were more frequent in those who had experienced a loss of consciousness at the time of injury and in those who suffered a high voltage electrical injury. All of the patients with cardiac complications had these at the time of admission to hospital. This suggests that if there is no history of a loss of consciousness and the 12-lead ECG recorded on attendance at the hospital is normal, it is unlikely that the patient will go on to develop cardiac problems.