Thousands of chemicals capable of causing skin and inhalation injuries are used in industry, agriculture, the military, science, and the home. Cutaneous injury from caustic chemicals in unlike cutaneous thermal injury in that tissue destrution
continues
long after the initial exposure. Reduction of the time of exposure to the caustic agent and recognition of systemic toxicity are necessary to lessen the severity of insult, reduced morbidity and maximized survivals. During A 6-years period(1989
through
1994), 88 chemical bumed patients admitted to the Han Gang Sacred heart Hospital of Burn Center. We are reviewed known chemical agents of medical records of 84 cases chemical burn victims, who admitted the Hang Gang Secred heart Hospital of Burn
Center.
@ES The result are as follows:
@EN 1) The frequency of chemical burns have increased over several years but average 14 cases of chemical burns patients constantly have admitted Hang Gang Sacred Hospital.
2) Seventy-one cases(71 of patients) of chemical burns occurred in males and Forty-four cases(44 of patients(were in the twenties and thirties.
3) The seasonal distribution of chemical burns was spring(35.1%), summer (33.'%), autumn(25%), winter(6%).
4) The most common etiologic hemicals was acid(50.4%), followed by other chemicals(25%), and alkali(22.6%).
5) The sulfuric acid (38.7%) was most common etiologic acid and hydroxides of sodium(84.1%) was alkali and methyl alcohol (52.4%) was other chemicals.
6) The average hospitalization days was 4-weeks over(45.4%) therefore we required debridement(51%), grafts(STSG/FTDG)(38%).
7) A Forty-six cases(54.8%) of burn extents was 1~10.
8) the most common complications was irritant dermatitis(34%) hypertrophic scar 26.1%)
9) the cause of death were pnemonia, pulmonary edema, ARDS due to inhalation injury (3 cases) and were sepsis due to burn extents(2 cases) and was upper G-I bleeding due to ingestion (1 case).
10) The prognostic factors of chemical burns was burn extents, depth, etiologic chemicals and exposure times, postburn-wound managements.
In order to the protection of the chemical burns, We must be the environmental controls, educated the worker engaged in the chemical industries. Tominimized chemical injury, clothing should be removed promptly and water lavage begun, system
toxicity and
inhalation injury are rare but often severe and increased mortality.
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