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Chemical Burns

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Burn Care for General Surgeons and General Practitioners

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Abstract

Although chemical burns are relatively uncommon, they can be particularly challenging to treat because of the wide variety of chemicals involved. Since each chemical has a unique injury pattern and potential-associated systemic toxicity, it is important to have a set of general principles of management. These principles include self-protection from the injurious agent, early detection of airway involvement, removal and dilution of the chemical, identification of potential systemic toxicity, limited use of neutralizing agents, and careful ocular assessment. Hydrofluoric acid burns are one of the more common, but highly dangerous chemical burns that do require early intervention with a neutralizing agent in addition to application of the above-mentioned principles.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, Ross Tilley Burn Centre, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto., 2075 Bayview Avenue, Room D 712, Toronto, ON, Canada, M4N 3M5

    Robert Cartotto M.D., F.R.C.S.C

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  1. Robert Cartotto M.D., F.R.C.S.C
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Correspondence to Robert Cartotto M.D., F.R.C.S.C .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Univ. of California, Davis Med. Center, Shriners Hosp for Children N California, Sacramento, California, USA

    David G. Greenhalgh

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Cartotto, R. (2016). Chemical Burns. In: Greenhalgh, D. (eds) Burn Care for General Surgeons and General Practitioners . Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-29161-1_16

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-29161-1_16

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-29159-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-29161-1

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