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Paediatric chemical burns: a clinical review. Eur J Pediatr 2021; 180:1359-1369. [PMID: 33403450 DOI: 10.1007/s00431-020-03905-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2020] [Revised: 11/05/2020] [Accepted: 12/08/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Although they account for a small proportion of burns in paediatrics, injuries from chemicals can be just as devastating as other mechanisms of burn injury. At least 25,000 chemicals exist which can cause burns: in children, they are often caused by household chemicals via accidental exposure. The mechanism by which corrosive substances produce chemical burns highlights the importance of early and plentiful irrigation of the burn area, removal of contaminated clothes and careful clinical assessment. Surgical intervention is uncommon but often follows the principles for thermal burns. This article reviews the aetiology, incidence, clinical presentation, management, complications and prevention of chemical burns. What is Known • Chemical burns in paediatrics are often caused by accidental exposure to chemicals available at home • Differences in the pathophysiology of chemical burns reinforces the need for early irrigation What is New • New irrigation fluids show promise in adults and need further study in children • The nature of chemical cutaneous burns can make assessment of wound depth difficult. Laser Doppler Imaging (LDI) is an accurate technique that can be used clinically to determine burn depth in thermal burns and is an area of future interest in the assessment of chemical burns.
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Shin HJ, Chang JS, Ahn S, Kim TO, Park CK, Lim JH, Oh IJ, Kim YI, Lim SC, Kim YC, Kwon YS. Acute respiratory distress syndrome and chemical burns after exposure to chlorine-containing bleach: a case report. J Thorac Dis 2017; 9:E17-E20. [PMID: 28203432 DOI: 10.21037/jtd.2017.01.45] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Chlorine-containing bleach can cause acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and chemical burns. However, simultaneous occurrence of the two conditions caused by this agent is very rare. We describe the case of a 74-year-old female who presented with shortness of breath and hemoptysis following accidental exposure to chlorine-containing bleach. She had second- to third-degree chemical burns on both buttocks and thighs, and received mechanical ventilation because of the development of ARDS. Mechanical ventilation was discontinued on day 6 of hospitalization because of the rapid improvement of hypoxemia, and the patient was transferred to another hospital for further management of the chemical burns on day 18.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong-Joon Shin
- Department of Internal Medicine, Chonnam National University Hospital, Gwangju, South Korea
| | - Jin-Sun Chang
- Department of Internal Medicine, Chonnam National University Hospital, Gwangju, South Korea
| | - Seong Ahn
- Department of Internal Medicine, Chonnam National University Hospital, Gwangju, South Korea
| | - Tae-Ok Kim
- Department of Internal Medicine, Chonnam National University Hospital, Gwangju, South Korea
| | - Cheol-Kyu Park
- Department of Internal Medicine, Chonnam National University Hospital, Gwangju, South Korea
| | - Jung-Hwan Lim
- Department of Internal Medicine, Chonnam National University Hospital, Gwangju, South Korea
| | - In-Jae Oh
- Department of Internal Medicine, Chonnam National University Hospital, Gwangju, South Korea
| | - Yu-Il Kim
- Department of Internal Medicine, Chonnam National University Hospital, Gwangju, South Korea
| | - Sung-Chul Lim
- Department of Internal Medicine, Chonnam National University Hospital, Gwangju, South Korea
| | - Young-Chul Kim
- Department of Internal Medicine, Chonnam National University Hospital, Gwangju, South Korea
| | - Yong-Soo Kwon
- Department of Internal Medicine, Chonnam National University Hospital, Gwangju, South Korea
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Behera C, Chopra S, Garg A, Kumar R. Sulphuric acid marketed in water bottle in India: A cause for fatal accidental poisoning in an adult. Med Leg J 2016; 84:97-100. [PMID: 26837566 DOI: 10.1177/0025817216629857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Corrosive acid ingestion is a rare but serious health hazard with fatal complications. Cases of suicidal and accidental acid ingestion have been documented in the scientific literature. Accidental acid poisoning due to a mistaken identity of the bottle containing sulphuric acid is a matter of grave concern especially in a household set-up. We hereby report a fatal case of accidental sulphuric acid ingestion in an adult, who unsuspectingly swallowed about 50 ml of 'toilet-cleaner' at his residence. The bottle containing the acid was recently purchased from a local vendor and placed with water bottles in the kitchen. The autopsy and toxicological findings of this case are discussed in this paper with discussion of medico-legal issues on the sale and use of such corrosive acids in illegal bottles and its subsequent health hazards in India.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Behera
- Department of Forensic Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Saurav Chopra
- Department of Forensic Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Aayushi Garg
- Department of Forensic Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Rajesh Kumar
- Department of Forensic Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
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Dinis-Oliveira RJ, Carvalho F, Moreira R, Proença JB, Santos A, Duarte JA, Bastos MDL, Magalhães T. Clinical and forensic signs related to chemical burns: A mechanistic approach. Burns 2015; 41:658-79. [PMID: 25280586 DOI: 10.1016/j.burns.2014.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2014] [Revised: 09/04/2014] [Accepted: 09/08/2014] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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Kalantar Motamedi MH, Heydari M, Heydari M, Ebrahimi A. Prevalence and Pattern of Facial Burns: A 5-Year Assessment of 808 Patients. J Oral Maxillofac Surg 2015; 73:676-82. [DOI: 10.1016/j.joms.2014.11.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2014] [Revised: 11/11/2014] [Accepted: 11/15/2014] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Complications of chlorine inhalation in a pediatric chemical burn patient: a case report. J Burn Care Res 2012; 33:e216-21. [PMID: 22665132 DOI: 10.1097/bcr.0b013e318254d1c8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The majority of burn injuries in the pediatric population occur at home, and a significant proportion are the result of exposure to household cleaning products. A common injury-causing agent is bleach, which has the potential to release chlorine gas, a potent respiratory irritant that leads to the added risk of inhalation injury. The survival of pediatric patients with chemical burns is extremely high, and the 3 strongest predictors of mortality are large burn size, age <48 months, and the presence of inhalation injury. The authors present a rare case of a pediatric fatality from a chemical bleach burn that resulted in acute respiratory distress syndrome as well as hemodynamic and pulmonary instability that required extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. The authors critically appraised the management of this patient to determine the possible effect certain events had on the unexpected and poor outcome of this patient, including fluid resuscitation, the effect of the chemical inhalation injury, sedation, and the need for invasive extracorporeal membrane oxygenation life support.
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Forensic Issues in Suicide Due to Acid Ingestion in a Case of Major Depressive Disorder. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 2012; 33:156-8. [DOI: 10.1097/paf.0b013e3182474ec8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Toon MH, Maybauer DM, Arceneaux LL, Fraser JF, Meyer W, Runge A, Maybauer MO. Children with burn injuries--assessment of trauma, neglect, violence and abuse. J Inj Violence Res 2011; 3:98-110. [PMID: 21498973 PMCID: PMC3134932 DOI: 10.5249/jivr.v3i2.91] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2010] [Accepted: 10/13/2010] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Burns are an important cause of injury to young children, being the third most frequent cause of injury resulting in death behind motor vehicle accidents and drowning. Burn injuries account for the greatest length of stay of all hospital admissions for injuries and costs associated with care are substantial. The majority of burn injuries in children are scald injuries resulting from hot liquids, occurring most commonly in children aged 0-4 years. Other types of burns include electrical, chemical and intentional injury. Mechanisms of injury are often unique to children and involve exploratory behavior without the requisite comprehension of the dangers in their environment. Assessment of the burnt child includes airway, breathing and circulation stabilization, followed by assessment of the extent of the burn and head to toe examination. The standard rule of 9s for estimating total body surface area (TBSA) of the burn is inaccurate for the pediatric population and modifications include utilizing the Lund and Browder chart, or the child's palm to represent 1% TBSA. Further monitoring may include cardiac assessment, indwelling catheter insertion and evaluation of inhalation injury with or without intubation depending on the context of the injury. Risk factors and features of intentional injury should be known and sought and vital clues can be found in the history, physical examination and common patterns of presentation. Contemporary burn management is underscored by several decades of advancing medical and surgical care however, common to all injuries, it is in the area of prevention that the greatest potential to reduce the burden of these devastating occurrences exists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael H. Toon
- Critical Care Research Group and The University of Queensland, The Prince Charles Hospital at Brisbane, Australia
| | - Dirk M. Maybauer
- Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, Philipps University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- Department of Anesthesiology, The University of Texas Medical Branch and Shriners Burns Hospital at Galveston, USA
| | - Lisa L. Arceneaux
- Department of Surgery, The University of Texas Medical Branch and Shriners Burns Hospital at Galveston, USA
| | - John F. Fraser
- Critical Care Research Group and The University of Queensland, The Prince Charles Hospital at Brisbane, Australia
| | - Walter Meyer
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of Texas Medical Branch and Shriners Burns Hospital at Galveston, USA
| | - Antoinette Runge
- Critical Care Research Group and The University of Queensland, The Prince Charles Hospital at Brisbane, Australia
| | - Marc O. Maybauer
- Critical Care Research Group and The University of Queensland, The Prince Charles Hospital at Brisbane, Australia
- Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, Philipps University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- Department of Anesthesiology, The University of Texas Medical Branch and Shriners Burns Hospital at Galveston, USA
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Abstract
Toxic epidermal necrolysis, a unique rapidly developing mucocutaneous reaction pattern, characterized by sheets of erythema, necrosis and bullous detachment of the epidermis, closely resembling that of scalding of the skin and rapidly fatal, was described by Lyell, and is now recognized as toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) Lyell's syndrome. The condition is indistinguishable from staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome (SSSS), and generalized fixed drug eruption. Hence, there has always been controversy as regards terminology. It is well conceived that TEN is equivalent to Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS), at its greatest severity. TEN, therefore, is a great challenge and warrants instant attention based on a thorough knowledgeable background covering several related facets including the recent advances in pathogenesis and management strategies. The details contained in the following text should prove very useful in the comprehension of a largely intractable entity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virendra N Sehgal
- Dermato-Venereology (Skin/VD) Centre, Sehgal Nursing Home, Panchwati, Azadpur, Skin Institute and School of Dermatology, Greater Kailash, New Delhi, India.
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Abstract
Pediatric burn injuries occur not infrequently as the result of abuse. While the majority of these burns are inflicted scald burns, those due to contact or contact/scald mechanisms may present diagnostic challenges. A child with unusual combined contact and scald burns caused by a metal spatula heated in hot cooking oil is described. The odd pattern of healed injury limited the initial diagnosis to inflicted healing burns. Despite the initial lack of disclosure, an inflicted etiology was supported by clearly delineated margins, macular lesions with hyper-pigmented rims and variegated central regions. Additional findings of numerous adult bites and bruises provided adjunctive support for an inflicted etiology. Aspects of this case are atypical for the usual demographics of a burn victim. This case extends the known presentations of inflicted contact/scald burns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Syana Mukadam
- University of Minnesota School of Medicine, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
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