Burns : journal of the International Society for Burn Injuries
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A retrospective analysis of 435 consecutive admissions to a regional burns unit over an 8-year period is presented. The majority were domestic accidents, while a few were suicidal and two were due to child abuse. ⋯ In spite of these known adverse factors the overall outcome was satisfactory, with a case fatality rate of 7.4 per cent and a residual disability rate of 10.8 per cent. Good initial resuscitation, a low infection rate (18.4 per cent) and the ready availability of appropriate surgical intervention (35.6 per cent), with good intensive care support, could account for the satisfactory outcome.
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An unusual full-thickness burn of the scalp and cranial bones due to a lightning strike is reported. A thick nylon cover protected the head from the direct effects of the lightning injury, but heated water over the thick nylon cover caused full-thickness burn of the scalp and cranial bones. The relevant literature has been reviewed.
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High-voltage electrical injury has been well documented in a number of situations, such as the occupational hazard of linesmen and construction workers, and in the context of overhead railway power lines. Two cases of hang-glider pilots contacting 11,000-volt power lines have recently been treated in the Royal Brisbane Hospital Burns Unit. ⋯ Both patients sustained full-thickness patches of burn injury, with underlying muscle damage and peripheral neurological injury. This distribution of injury seems to be closely related to the design of the hang glider.
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This review shows that hyponatremia is the most common cause of burn seizures in children, followed by a history of epilepsy, hypoxia, sepsis with high fever, unknown aetiology and drug toxicity or sudden drug withdrawal. This study also shows that burn seizure is most common in younger children and is related to size and degree of burn. ⋯ Prompt corrections of any problems in these areas can be vital. Invasive procedures for the diagnosis of seizures, including lumbar puncture and EEG, should be reserved for infrequent non-responding cases.