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First aid for chemical burns and their treatment

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Chemical burn – a kind of traumatic injuries of the skin and mucous membranes of organs due to exposure to aggressive chemical substances and connections, accompanied by the violation of their integrity and structure. The rapid introduction of technologies of chemical production in everyday life leads to an increase in the number of this type of damage. The most frequent cases of domestic chemical burns characterized by a relatively small weight. Similar cases more dangerous. Sometimes they are the result of a suicide attempt.

As traumatic factors may be different chemical reagents:

  1. Acids: hydrochloric, sulfuric, nitric, acetic, hydrofluoric and many others;

  2. Alkali: caustic potash, soda and barium;

  3. Salts of heavy metals: silver nitrate, zinc chloride;

  4. Volatile oil: bitumen, phosphorus;

  5. Compounds of different chemical nature: toxic chemicals, pesticides, gasoline;

  6. Household chemicals: various cleaning powders and liquids, especially designed for the care of equipment.

No matter for what reason received a chemical burn, its severity will depend on certain factors. They determine the degree of disruption of the structure of the affected area and affect the prognosis of the disease. These include:

  1. The concentration and the nature of the chemical agent, his aggressiveness against tissues of the human body;

  2. The number and the strength with which causal factors influence;

  3. Exposure (duration of contact) aggressive agents on the skin or mucous membranes;

  4. The structure and condition of the tissues exposed to traumatic influence;

Naturally, the more aggressive is environment and the duration of its effects on tissues (especially sensitive), the harder will be the degree of damage.

In the classification of chemical burns in area and extent, it is identical to that in thermal burns. It is based on the self-reversibility of the changes in the burned tissues. It depends on affect or not affect germ layer of the skin, which is responsible for the restoration of the structure, and the prevalence of burns. Most often, chemical burns are small in size but heavy in relation to the depth of the lesion. There are the following degrees:

  1. I – damage to the top layer (the epidermis). It is functionally insignificant, therefore not causing severe manifestations and clinically looks like a burnt surface redness with slight edema and pain;

  2. II – destroyed are the epidermis and dermis to the papillary layer. This suggests that the vascular and nerve structures of the affected area remains intact. During the examination of this burn, it has the form of bubbles filled with a transparent liquid;

  3. III a – damage to the dermis, including the papillary layer, which are microcirculatory elements. When viewed like this burn looks like a bubble filled with bloody fluid, or bleeding of the burn wound;

  4. III b – the destruction of the skin in the entire thickness to subcutaneous tissue;

  5. IV – damage to the skin and deep tissues (fat, muscle-tendon, bone).

Not to mention about some features of chemical burns, namely, the gravity and intricacies, as well as the global differences between acid and alkaline burns. What damage these compounds are often very deep. Burns other chemical compounds in most cases are superficial.

Getting on healthy skin acid leading to its destruction and dehydration, gradually spreading inland. The result of such processes is the formation of a relatively dense and dryish scab of necrotic tissue. Alkaline same compound, on the contrary, causing rapid cleavage and saponification of the protein-lipid components of the skin, due to which they quickly penetrate into the deeper layers. Looks like a burn, like soft, loose speed, do not have clear boundaries. These facts lead to a long and persistent course of the pathological process that requires a long and active measures to eliminate the problem only in a specialized medical institution.


First aid for chemical burns

The most important thing in this regard is timeliness. The sooner will be made elementary exercise, the less affected skin. This is especially important for burns with concentrated substances. The first thing to do is to stop contact with aggressive environment of the burn surface. All further activities are carried out in sequence.

  1. To clean the skin from clothes or other items that can also be impregnated with chemical compounds.

  2. To remove any residual reagent from the burnt plots. For this purpose, suitable cold water. Important points that must be observed – it must get to burn under pressure or at least run away from him. In any case, you cannot immerse it in a bath or wipe with a towel, napkins and other accessories. Duration of washing should be about half an hour. It depends on how fast of receipt of the burn began. If the period exceeds the 15-minute milestone, and the chemical agent is quite aggressive, the duration of washing should be increased, especially with alkali burns.

  3. If after a while after rinsing there is a burning sensation, you should repeat the procedure. Criterion of its efficiency is the absence of unpleasant sensations in the absence of deep wounds.

  4. Neutralization of aggressive components of the chemical compounds in the field of burns. It should be done only in the case of the known nature of the substance. In the case of acids, the surface is treated with a weak alkali (a solution of baking soda in 2% concentration, 300 ml of water with 1 tsp of its powder). Alkaline burns as a catalyst can be the same solution of acetic or citric acids. If the origin of the compounds is not known, the best Converter would be water, which is equally effective in all formulations of aggressive environment.

  5. Limitation of burn surface from the environment. For this purpose the best is the dry bandage. If possible, they can be impregnated with a solution of novocaine, which is in contact with tissue will render analgesic effect. Do not just try to expose the surface of the effects of different antiseptics and ointments. It will take several hours, which will show the degree of the burn will determine the further tactics.


Chemical burn eyes

Occurs when exposed to aggressive chemical compounds, which fall to the surface of the cornea or into the conjunctival SAC. Since these fabrics are delicate and sensitive, any chemical burns are considered serious damage and only require a specialized treatment. The real danger lies in the possibility of penetration of the chemical particles in the deeper layers of the eye and permanent vision loss. In other cases some common cornea burn, which will not be able to restore its structure.

Clinical manifestations so bright that not make a long wait to helping with these burns. The more aggressive will be the substance, the more severe burning, pain, cramps, lacrimation, photophobia, inability to open the eyes. Possible even momentary loss of vision or decrease its severity.

Event first aid must be prompt. This will depend much. As in chemical burns of the skin, it is necessary to produce erosion and removal of residual chemical compounds from the surface of the cornea and conjunctiva. To do this, rinse eyes with water for at least 15 minute period of time. It is not necessary to produce neutralizing substances, even in the case of the known nature of the chemical compound. It can only do harm. Sufficient washing with water, after which the eye applied dry bintawa-gauze bandage. Without exception, all victims should be examined by a doctor.

Chemical burn of the esophagus

This type of damage refers to the serious and only requires specialized treatment. You can get it, deliberately or accidentally drinking a liquid with a corrosive chemical compound. Esophageal mucosa is very vulnerable and sensitive. Considering the fact that its lumen is almost sleeping state, even a small amount of acid or alkali capable of burning the lining all over.

Clinical manifestations of chemical burns of the esophagus are particularly heavy and progressive development. Immediately after drinking the substance, there is burning and pain in the chest, accompanied by vomiting, salivation, difficulty swallowing and breathing. Victims are torn, can't find a place because of the pain. Very early begin to show signs of intoxication in the form of tachycardia (palpitations), rapid breathing and drop in blood pressure until thea state of shock.

The urgency of events under such conditions is not in doubt. Therefore, immediately after a burn, rinse the esophagus and the stomach with plenty of cold water. If known, the chemical nature of the damaging agent, can be directly used for washing the respective neutralizing solutions of weak acids and alkalis. The victim should drink about a liter of water, which then induce vomiting back removed from the stomach. The total amount of fluid of about 10 liters. After washing with the aim of pain relief you can drink 20-30 ml of 1% solution of novocaine, raw egg, or gel (gel A). After that, the patient should be transported to the nearest medical facility.


Treatment of chemical burns

All therapeutic measures for the treatment of chemical burns are conducted after the establishment of its extent, area, and localization. Superficial injuries, which include burns 1-2-3A degrees are treated conservatively under topical or wet-to-dry dressings. In the case of limited small burns General measures are required. If extensive damage or deep wounds any prevalence shown infusion, detoxification and antibiotic therapy only in a specialized burn unit. All other cases can be treated on an outpatient basis under the supervision of a specialist.

Local treatment of surfaces with chemical burns aims: antibiotic prophylaxis, creating an optimal environment for healing, acceleration of regenerative and reparative processes in the wound. For burns of the skin in early terms used ointments based on water-soluble (levomekol, oflocin sintomitsina, levosin), promoting rejection necrotic tissue and wound cleansing. When a first degree burn can lubricate the affected areas with ointments lifeguard, AGROSALON, Betadine, bepanten, panthenol. In the case of deeper damage they are connected in the stage of regeneration of wounds. Of the antiseptics shown neutral funds with good antimicrobial properties (chlorhexidine, dioxidine, mekasan).

See also article: How to get rid of burn at home?

Surgical treatment be deep burns of the skin and underlying tissues. Interventions are performed in the remote period after the clear limits of the burn. They include necrectomy (removal of devitalized tissue from healthy) and plastic replacementthe resulting wound defects. For these purposes, use of donor skin from the patient's healthy tissues, or various types of xenacoj.

In the treatment of chemical burns of the esophagus the most important value belongs to the early antishock infusion therapy and probing. The last event focused on the prevention of stenosis (narrowing) and obstruction of the esophagus, and it begins one week after the burn injury.