Burns : journal of the International Society for Burn Injuries
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In an experiment on rats, a partial thickness burn wound 20 mm in diameter was produced on the dorsum. Half the wound area was left untreated, the other half painted with elastic collodion. Examination on the 10th day following the intervention confirmed that prevention of dehydration can save a good proportion of thermally damaged tissue. It was also shown that prevention of dehydration results in a marked delay in wound healing.
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Case Reports
Electrical burn injuries of workers using portable aluminium ladders near overhead power lines.
The use of aluminium ladders around high voltage power lines has resulted in a significant number of electrical injuries and electrocutions. Workers often misjudge wire distances or lose control of fully extended ladders, thereby exposing themselves to electrocution hazard. High-voltage electrical burns of two workers using an aluminium ladder that contacted a high voltage power line are reported. The circumstances surrounding the injury, the clinical management of the case, and the methods of prevention are presented and discussed.
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Thermal injury is a significant contributor to the overall problem of injury among children. Children are at greater risk of hospitalization due to thermal injury than any other age group, and their fatality rate is second only to those over 60 years of age. This study provides an overview of thermal injury in New Zealand children, age 0-14 years, resulting in death or hospitalization. ⋯ Two-thirds of the childhood thermal injury hospitalizations were due to contact with hot water, the most commonly identified source being a hot beverage. Thermal injury rates for New Zealand children are higher than reported overseas. Prevention strategies that have proven effective elsewhere are discussed with recommendations for New Zealand.
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Hot tar adheres to skin and produces burns of variable depth. Removal of the tar is not essential but it improves patient comfort and allows early assessment of the underlying tissue damage. Butter is readily available and is an effective method of removing the adherent tar.