Medical

Published on: August 22, 2012

Third Degree Burns to the Fingers

Skin is a sensative organ that has many functions among which is the protection of the body against external harmful enviromental factors. The skin may be damaged when it comes in contact with a hot object. The severity of the burn depends on the intensity of the heat and the duration of time heat is applied.

Hand and finger burns are usually common and are caused by the accidental touch of boiling water or hot objects. Most of these burns are not dangerous but they are of heigh priority becauase of the functional importance of the hand and fingers therefore they have to be treated as soon as possible to avoid serious complications. Burns to the fingers can be first, second or third degree burns.

First degree burns are superficial were there is redness and blisters of the skin.

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Published on: August 21, 2012

Flammable Liquids

By Larry Kramer

Flammable and combustible liquids are liquids that can burn. These liquids give off vapors that mix with air and can catch on fire from a source of ignition causing serious burns. The vapor is actually what burns, not the liquid. The lowest temperature at which the liquid gives off enough vapor to be ignited is called the flashpoint.

Flammable and combustible liquids include gasoline, kerosene, paint and paint thinners, solvents, cleaners, polishes and others. There are certain rules to be followed to avoid serious burns from flammable liquids which include:

Read the manufacturer’s label on the flammable liquid container before its use.

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Published on: August 15, 2012

Third Degree Burns due to Natural Gas Explosion

By Larry Kramer

Natural gas can leak and lead to a gas explosion if there is a source of ignition. Gas explosions may lead to serious burn injuries including third degree burns part I, part II and smoke inhalation injuries. Appliances that may leak gas and lead to gas explosion include:

Ovens, cook tops
Gas generators.

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Published on: July 25, 2012

Factors Affecting The Healing of Burns

By Larry Kramer

Burns are wounds. Wound healing is a complex process that can be affected by many factors. These factors may include:

The age of the patient: elderly patients have delayed wound healing due to the fact that the blood supply is decreased to some parts of the skin with the presence of relative hypoxia (decreased oxygen). Very young and the elderly may not be able to mount an effective inflammatory response due to immature cells and less efficient physiological functioning respectively. See burns in geriatrics, Burns in pediatrics.
Nutrition: nutrition plays an important factor in wound healing; patients who are malnourished have a decreased collagen formation. Wound healing requires protein synthesis therefore protein requirement increases in the presence of wound. Vitamins are also important for wound healing, vitamin C is important in collagen synthesis and in maintaining the immune function. Vitamin A is also important in promoting wound healing. zinc is important for wound healing as it’s deficiency may impair wound healing, elderly are more liable for zinc deficiency due to poor intake and absorption. Zinc is important for many enzymes involved in the repair of tissue. Iron is important in collagen synthesis. Copper is also important as it’s a co-factor for an enzyme called lysyl oxidase which is needed for cross linking of collagen molecules. See Nutrition and burns, Burns and fluid replacement.

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Published on: July 24, 2012

Third Degree Burns and Burn Recovery Beds

By Larry Kramer

One of the complications of severe burns (second and third degree burns) is bed sores. Bed sores which are also called pressure ulcers, pressure sores and decubitus ulcers are injury to the body tissues resulting from the compression of these tissues between two hard surfaces such as the bed mattress and other body parts like bones.

Risk factors for bed sores:

Bedridden people such as those with severe burns and wheelchair bound people

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Published on: July 17, 2012

Severe Burns and Sleep Disturbance (part II)

By Larry Kramer

Treatment of sleep disturbance associated with severe burns:

Treatment may not be easy, there are different types of treatment strategies. Your physician or the burn team may ask you questions regarding your sleep habits in the past and factors that affect your sleep. Factors that affect the treatment type are:

What caused the sleep disturbance.

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Published on: July 11, 2012

Severe Burns and Sleep Disturbance (part I)

By Larry Kramer

Severe burns such as second degree burns and third degree burns can affect any aspect of the patient’s life, one of these aspects is sleep. Sleep disturbance can happen in any stage of burn injury but it’s common immediately after the burn, in the healing process and in the recovery process. About half of the patients who are affected by severe burns suffer from sleep problems and the most common is insomnia. Insomnia can present as difficulty in falling asleep, staying asleep, waking up too early in the morning, nightmares and poor quality sleep.

Many causes can lead to sleep disturbance following a burn injury and some of which may have a long lasting effect even after the patient being discharged home.

These causes may include:

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Published on: July 2, 2012

Steven Johnson Syndrome and Burns (Part I)

By Larry Kramer

Steven Johnson Syndrome is a systemic allergic reaction that has high morbidty and can lead to death in severe cases. It is charactarized by the appearance of rash on the skin and the mucous membrane. This syndrome can affect the eye, respiratory and nasal tracts, vagina and the urethra.

Causes: Steven Johnson Syndrome can be idiopathic (no known cause) or as a result of an immunological reaction to immunologic stimuli that can be diseases, drugs or infections, among these stimuli are:

A- Infections and diseases: They may include

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Published on: June 26, 2012

Customer Suffers Severe Burns in Fast Food Restaurant Accident and Files Lawsuit. Is There Legal Liability?

By Larry Kramer

In late May, a man in Aurora, CO filed a lawsuit against Arby’s restaurants after he said he suffered severe burns from steam or very hot water that sprayed from a urinal in the men’s room at a local restaurant. The incident allegedly happened two years ago at the Arby’s in Monument, CO, but the man filed the lawsuit just recently.

Kenneth Dejoie claims his genitals suffered severe burns while he was using a urinal inside the Arby’s men’s room. The five-page lawsuit was filed in El Paso County District Court, and states that Dejoie was “using the urinal in the men’s restroom when the urinal caused a jet of steam to shoot forth and burn his genitals.”

Dejoie claims that he reported the incident to an employee who said, “we have that bathroom problem again” and that “this happens when the sink in the kitchen is running.”

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Published on: June 22, 2012

Fuel-Tank Fires in Jeep Vehicles Being Investigated; Will There Be Liability for Injury or Death?

By Larry Kramer

More than five million Jeep vehicles are being investigated by the federal government for deadly fuel-tank fires caused by rear-impact collisions.

Fuel-tank ruptures and fires during crashes have resulted in 48 fatalities in the Jeep Grand Cherokee model since 1993, according to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. However, to this point neither the federal government nor Chrysler has announced a recall for specific model years.

And this week, the NHTSA expanded its investigation to include Jeep Cherokees from model years 1993 to 2001 and Jeep Liberty models from 2002 to 2007.

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