Thermal bums severity

Water reactivity can be hazardous by one or more of several mechanisms. The heat of reaction can cause thermal bums, ignite combustible materials, or initiate other chemical reactions. Flammable,... 

Yao, Y.F., Zhang, B., Zhou, R, Jiang, J.K. Autologous limbal grafting combined with deep lamellar keratoplasty in unilateral eye with severe chemical or thermal bum at late stage. Ophthalmology 109, 2011-2017 (2002)... 

Sulfuric acid is a severely corrosive poison and dehydrating agent in the concentrated liquid form. It readily penetrates skin to reach subcutaneous tissue and causes tissue necrosis, with effects resembling those of severe thermal bums. Sulfuric acid fumes and mists can act as irritants to eye and respiratory tract tissue. Industrial exposure has caused tooth erosion in workers. 

Exposure to low concentrations may not produce immediate effects. However, the severity of poisoning is not related to the presentation or magnitude of immediate symptoms. Symptoms may include eye and airway irritation, tearing, shortness of breath, coughing, wheezing, chest tightness, and delayed pulmonary edema. If halogens have been released, there may be redness of the skin, chemical bums or even thermal bums. 

G13. Goodall, M., Stone, C., and Hanes, B. W., Urinary output of adrenaline and noradrenaline in severe thermal bums. Ann. Surg. 146, 479-487 (1957). 

HEALTH SYMPTOMS Inhalation (coughing, increased mucous secretion, sore throat, breathing difficulty, upper respiratory tract irritation) skin contact (acid bums, dermatitis, sensitization, severe thermal bums caused by liquid) ingestion (sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea, cramps, abdominal pain). 

Other molten materials are not as hot as molten aluminum. Sulfur, in the molten state, refers you to Guide 133 in the ERG. Molten sulfur, with the four-digit UN identihcation number 2448, may ignite combustible materials that it comes in contact with if it is above the ignition temperature of the material. Molten sulfur has a melting point of approximately 245°F. The molten sulfur in transportation would be above that temperature, but not as hot as molten aluminum. Contact would stiU cause severe thermal bums, and the vapor is toxic. 

Hot materials, such as asphalt, can cause serious thermal bums if contacted with parts of the body. The television show Rescue 911 highhghted a rescne operation that involved hot asphalt. A dump truck used to haul solid hot asphalt to patch holes in the road collided with a car. As a result of the collision, the load of hot asphalt was dumped into the car, covering the driver to the point that he conld not escape. Before rescuers could remove the driver, he suffered severe second- and third-degree thermal bums from the hot asphalt. 

Clinical trials of the BNC wound dressing were also conducted on patients suffering from severe thermal bums (Lina et al., 2011). After 10 days of the treatment, the process of re-epithelialization had begun for 58.3% patients from the test group in comparison with 33.3% patients from the control group. 

The tissue damage is very dependent on exposure time cells can tolerate long time exposure of 43 °C. Above about 45 °C, the time duration becomes more and more critical. In high-voltage accidents, the heat effect may be very important, and patients are treated as thermal burn patients. In particular, special attention is paid to the fluid balance, because electrical bum patients tend to go into renal failure more readily than thermal bums of equal severity. As electric current disposes thermal energy directly into the tissue, the electric bum is often deeper than a thermal bum caused by thermal energy penetrating... 

Toxicity Trimethylaluminum and related alkylaluminum reagents are pyrophoric materials that can react explosively with the moisture in tissues, causing severe bums. The heat of reaction can also ignite the methane gas generated, resulting in thermal bums. Alkylaluminum reagents are corrosive substances, and contact is extremely destractive to the eyes, skin, and mucous membranes. Inhalation of trimethylaluminum and other volatile alkylaluminum compounds may cause severe damage to the respiratory tract and can lead to fatal pulmonary edema. 

While thermal bums can be classified according to appearance and depth into 1st, 2nd (superficial or deep), and 3rd degree, chemical lesions cannot be absolutely classified in the same fashion. In effect, the mechanisms of the lesions are radically different, such that a description based on specific treatment cannot be applied. While a simple initial modification of the skin color is described in thermal bums as first or superficial second degree, the same discoloration in chemical skin injuries can become extremely serious or even fatal (e.g., with hydrofluoric acid) after several hours. Recall that chemical accidents frequently produce chronic... 

Miller JT, Btaiche IF. Oxandrolone in pediatric patients with severe thermal bum injury. Ann Pharmacother 2008 42 1310-5. 

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