Efficacy of hexafluorine for emergent decontamination of hydrofluoric acid eye and skin splashes.

Hexafluorine is an amphoteric, hypertonic, polyvalent compound for decontaminating hydrofluoric acid (HF) eye and skin splashes. In a German metallurgy facility during the period of 1994-1998, all eye or skin splashes with 40% HF alone or with a 6% HF/15% HNO3 mixture were initially decontaminated with Hexafluorine within 2 min following the splash at the accident site by the victims themselves or co-workers who witnessed the accident. Eleven workers using 40% HF or a 6% HF/15% HNO3 mixture sustained eye (2 cases) or skin (10 cases) splashes (1 combined) during 1994-1998. Hexafluorine was used within 2 min, and a second Hexafluorine decontamination was done on arrival at the plant infirmary. No further medical or surgical treatment was needed, no workers developed chemical burns, and none lost work time. These II cases demonstrate the efficacy of Hexafluorine in decontaminating HF or combined HF/HNO3 splashes.

[Is there a delay in bathing the external eye in the treatment of ammonia eye burns? Comparison of two ophthalmic solutions: physiological serum and Diphotérine]. / Existe-t-il un délai pour le lavage oculaire externe dans le traitement d'une brûlure oculaire par l'ammoniaque? Comparaison de deux solutions de lavage: sérum physiologique et Diphotérine.

PURPOSE: An experimental animal study was conducted to analyze the delay for ocular bathing in the treatment of severe ocular ammonia burns. Two solutions of ocular wash, saline solution and Diphotérine were compared. MATERIAL: and methods: The study included 23 eyes of New Zealand albino rabbits that received for 1 minute 100 microl of 15.3% ammonium solution. Each eye was then washed with 250 of saline solution or 250ml Diphotérine after a delay of 1, 3, 5, 10 or 30 minutes. Effects were assessed on the basis of changes in anterior chamber pH, ammonia concentration in the anterior chamber, and cytopathology examination of the burned corneas. RESULTS: Ocular wash with Diphotérine in the first minutes following ocular burn induced an inflexion of the pH curve unlike ocular wash with saline solution. At 30 minutes, there was no inflexion of the pH curve and the ammonia concentration in the anterior chamber was low. Contrary to ocular wash using Diphotérine, stromal edema was seen at cytopathological analysis after washing with saline solution. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides evidence of the interest of ocular bathing in the first minutes following ocular burn by ammonia. The efficacy of external ocular washing with Diphotérine was proven by biochemical and cytopathological demonstrations. The importance of sequelae were related to the degree of initial stromal edema.

[Experimental study about intra-ocular penetration of ammonia]. / Etude expérimentale sur la pénétration intra-oculaire de l'ammoniaque.

PURPOSE: The seriousness of ocular alkali burn depends on low quick the alkali to enter the eye. We report the results of an experimental study on intra-ocular penetration of ammonia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included 23 eyes of New Zealand albino rabbits, burned for 1 minute by 100 microl of a solution titrating 15.3% ammonia. An pH meter probe inserted into the anterior chamber measured pH every 5 seconds. Experiment were carried out within 1, 3, 5, 10 and 30 minutes. An anterior chamber puncture was performed at the end of experiments, after of 1, 3, 5, and 10 minutes, for measuring the ammonia concentration in the anterior chamber. RESULTS: PH increased 1 to 3 minutes after applying of ammonia on the cornea, until a maxima 10, 5 to 6 minutes later, followed by an exponential decrease. After 30 minutes, pH was still higher than physiological pH, and the ammonia concentration was low. The penetration-ratio of ammonia through cornea was about 11%. Measured pH differed from pH calculated from the concentration of ammonia. CONCLUSIONS: The difference between measured and calculated pH evidences chemical reactions. The two pH increases interspersed with a plateau prove the existence of 2 successive acido-basic chemical reactions between ammonia and 2 sorts of acid. Also, the density of protein uptake can be calculated from ammonia. This suggests an interesting avenue of research as protein density can be related in the eye with the pK of the base, and thus foresee the potential danger of a base to biological tissues.