A Clinical Study on Recent Causing Agents of Chemical Burns

ABSTRACT

Purpose@#Due to rapid changes in the industrial structure in last decade, the wider various types of chemical agents were introduced. Burn surgeons should be well-informed with rapid changes of chemical burns. We present the recent incidence trends of causing agents of chemical burns. @*Methods@#From 2010 to 2019, 92 chemical burn victims were included in this study. A retrospective study was made about the type, distribution and incidence of the causing agents of chemical burns. Initial treatments of most chemical burn wounds are copious saline irrigation by tap water, except hydrofluoric acid burn cases managed by 10% calcium gluconate injection. In alkali chemical burns on extremity, if thin eschars appear in postburn 2∼3 days, acute early surgical escharectomy and split thickness skin graft were done. @*Results@#More than 9 types of major chemicals causing chemical burns were surveyed, and the most common causing agent of chemical burns was Hydrofluoric acid (23.9%) followed by Acetic acid (19.6%) and Sodium hydroxide (8.7%). @*Conclusion@#From 2010 to 2019, changes in the causing agent of chemical burns are that the types of major causing agents of chemical burns have increased and the distribution and incidence of causing agents have changed compared to previous reports. According to this study, more than 9 types of major chemicals causing chemical burns were surveyed, and the most common causing agent of chemical burns was Hydrofluoric acid (23.9%) followed by Acetic acid, Sodium hydroxide.