The Journal of burn care & rehabilitation
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Exposure of skin to liquid propane causes a severe freeze injury. This cutaneous injury has the appearance of a partial-thickness thermal injury of indeterminate depth, but the deep tissue damage is greater than is at first apparent. A case history is presented that illustrates the severity of this particular mechanism of injury and the need for adequate safety precautions.
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In this 10-year retrospective survey of 2216 admissions to a regional burn center, 15 patients (0.67%) had self-inflicted burn wounds. The burns were serious, with a mean abbreviated burn severity index of 11.2, and eight patients died of their injuries. Nine patients had a documented history of psychiatric problems, seven of whom had undergone a previous psychiatric hospitalization. ⋯ Seven patients had major depression and four had chronic paranoid schizophrenia. Motives were assessed, both by chart review and by interview of five available survivors and of relatives of nonsurvivors. Fewer than half actually intended to kill themselves; equally important was the theme of attempting to control internal psychotic states.
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J Burn Care Rehabil · Mar 1991
The efficacy of Polysporin First Aid Antibiotic Spray (polymyxin B sulfate and bacitracin zinc) against clinical burn wound isolates.
Polysporin First Aid Antibiotic Spray (Burroughs Wellcome Co., Research Triangle Park, N. C.) is a dry spray containing 200,000 units Aerosporin (polymyxin B sulfate) and 10,000 units bacitracin zinc, along with a propellant. Each 1-second spray delivers approximately 2300 units of polymyxin B sulfate and 115 units of bacitracin zinc. ⋯ The results show that Polysporin inhibits the growth of all the gram-positive organisms, including methicillin-resistant strains of Staphylococcus. The gram-negative organisms were also sensitive to Polysporin Spray, with the exception of Serratia marcescens, Morganella morganii, and Proteus mirabilis. This study suggests that Polysporin First Aid Antibiotic Spray may be effective for wounds contaminated with gram-positive and some gram-negative organisms.