The Journal of burn care & rehabilitation
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J Burn Care Rehabil · Jul 2003
Case ReportsAn unusual cause of burn injury: fig leaf decoction used as a remedy for a dermatitis of unknown etiology.
Medicinal plant extracts are commonly used worldwide. Their use relies mostly on historical and anecdotal evidence and might be so hazardous. Phytophotodermatitis is a well-known entity that is caused by the sequential exposure to certain species of plants containing furocoumarins and then to sunlight. ⋯ All reported cases to date have in common that patients are exposed to direct sunlight or to artificial UVA lights (like solarium) of varying durations. In our case neither direct sun exposure, other than inevitable indoor UVA influence, nor blister formation was present. The etiologic factors, symptoms, signs, course, and treatment alternatives for phytophotodermatitis are also reviewed briefly.
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Self-inflicted burn injuries, although uncommon, are a significant source of morbidity and mortality. The purpose of this study was to delineate the characteristics of these burns and to examine their impact on society. Records of 32 adult patients admitted for self-inflicted burns at our regional burn center between January 1996 and August 2001 were retrospectively reviewed. ⋯ Only four patients had private insurance, whereas the remainder relied on underfunded state- and county-sponsored programs or were uninsured. In addition to well-described psychiatric factors, common characteristics predisposing to self-inflicted burns include chronic medical illnesses, long-term disability, and a lack of access to adequate mental health care. Better treatment of mental illness in the underfunded population might ultimately save the high costs of these burn injuries.
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Patients rely on the Internet for medical information. It is difficult to discern which resources are accurate or appropriate for patients. The purpose of this study was to develop a quality-assessment tool for health Internet Web sites and to apply this tool to assess the quality of burn scar management information on the Internet. ⋯ Using our health information evaluation, we found that the majority of burn scar management information on the internet (77%) was of fair or poor quality. Academic and organizational Web sites had the best quality of burn scar management information. Additional testing of the developed tool will be needed to analyze the reproducibility of the results and their applicability in other medical domains.
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Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) provide intervention for communication challenges and swallowing disorders (dysphagia) that are common in cases of severe burns because of ventilator use, prolonged or multiple intubations, and tracheostomy tubes. To identify current inclusion of SLP services in burn care management, a survey was sent to 139 burn units across the United States. ⋯ Education of burn care teams on the benefits of SLP inclusion is needed. Potential benefits in pain and medical management reducing length of hospitalization and increasing cost-effective care by inclusion of SLPs in burn care management warrants further research.