The cause and prevention of electrical burns of the mouth in children. A protective cuff

Pediatric Oral Electrical Burns

Objectives

To investigate the epidemiology of emergency department visits for pediatric patients presenting with electrical burns to the mouth.

Study Design

Cross-sectional analysis of a national database.

Setting

National Electronic Injury Surveillance System Database.

Subjects and Methods

The Consumer Product Safety Commission’s National Electronic Injury Surveillance System database was used to derive a national weighted estimate of emergency department visits for oral electrical burns and was queried for each patient’s age, sex, race, local of incidence, disposition, and related consumer product.

Results

There were an estimated 1042 emergency department visits for pediatric oral electrical burns from 1997 to 2012, or an average of approximately 65.1 cases per year. A total of 59.6% of patients were male. Nearly half of emergency department visits involved patients <3 years of age, and more than three-fourths of emergency department visits involved patients <5 years of age. A total of 77.2% of patients were examined, treated, and released from the emergency department, while 19.2% were admitted to the hospital. Most injuries involved electrical outlets or receptacles (10.8%), extension cords (18.5%), and electrical wires (21.5%).

Conclusion

Earlier incidence estimates of pediatric oral electrical burns varied substantially within the literature and varied from small case reports to single-year studies. Our multiyear data analysis provides evidence of decreasing annual incidence when compared with historical estimates for a common but potentially morbid injury among the pediatric population.

Analysis of burns caused by pre-filled gas canisters used for lamps or portable camping stoves

The use of pre-filled valveless gas canisters for lamps or camping stoves has caused a number of serious burn incidents. We performed a retrospective analysis of all of the patients who were victims of such incidents admitted to the Marseille Burn Centre between January 1990 and March 2004. There were a total of 21 patients burned in such conditions. Adult males made up the majority of the victims of this sort. Lesions were often extensive (60% of the patients were burned over more than 10% of their body surface) and systematically deep. In order of frequency, burn locations were: the lower limbs, the upper limbs, the hands and the face. The incidents principally occurred during replacement of the canister near an open flame. The marketing of a canister with a valve in order to avoid gas leaks did not cause the old canisters to be taken off the market. On the contrary, European Safety Standard EN417, updated in October 2003, validated the use of these valveless canisters. The severity of the lesions caused and the existence of safe equivalent products requires the passage of a law that forbids valveless canisters.

Landmarks in burn prevention

The objective of this paper is to highlight landmarks in burn prevention. Novel strategies in the areas of law and regulation, environmental and consumer product design, and educational programs are identified and discussed. Notwithstanding marked reductions in burn morbidity and mortality, especially in economically developed countries, burn injuries remain an important public health concern throughout the world. More, and more effective, burn prevention programs coupled with renewed efforts to reduce the social and environmental correlates of burn injuries (poverty, overcrowding, family stress, and educational deficits) are needed to further reduce burn incidence and its long-term sequelae.

Treatment of electrical burns of the oral and perioral tissues in children

The causes, clinical appearance, and sequelae of electrical burns of the oral and perioral tissues are discussed, and a method of using splints to treat children with incomplete primary dentitions is presented for the dental practitioner.

A home injury prevention program for children

Most injuries to children under age five occur in the home. This article recounts the experience of an injury prevention project in developing and implementing an approach combining educational, regulatory, and technologic methods to reduce home injuries.

Burns

The authors present an extensive review of burn epidemiology. They review sources of burns, preventive tools, emergency behaviors to reduce severity, and rehabilitation. Ways are sketched in which the pediatrician can be an effective advocate against burn injuries.

Management of burns of the head and neck

Burns of the head and neck with or without respiratory tract injury remain a serious and complex problem. Care of patients with this injury requires astute frequent clinical examinations, repeated laryngoscopy or flexible bronchoscopy, and serial laboratory investigations. Superb monitoring and care by the entire burn team with frequent dialogue among the individuals with specialized knowledge, mature clinical judgement in regard to therapy, the long-term follow-up help burn victims survive the injury and achieve the best possible functional ability and cosmetic appearance. There are no simple answers or rote decisions in the management of these injuries. The challenge requires the most innovative and creative care coupled with large amounts of hard work. Many of the recent advances in the management of burns of the head and neck have permitted these patients to survive and have helped them to return as functioning members of society.

Treating electrical burns of the mouths of children

Electrical burns of the mouth can result in severe scarring and constriction of the lip commissures. Plastic surgery is needed to correct this defect when a special burn obturator is not used. The obturator is worn for a year and can prevent or reduce the need for corrective surgery.