title: Special considerations in hazardous materials burns.
abstract: Those practicing Emergency Medicine are frequently faced with a patient presenting with a chemical burn. Most dermal chemical burns are minor and do not require specialized treatment. Occasionally, however, the clinician may be in the position of responding to a chemical burn in which standard therapy of irrigation and good wound care may not be sufficient or, at worst, contraindicated. Several burn conditions will be reviewed, some of those requiring only specific decontamination techniques, as in hot tar, others posing special hazards to clinicians, as in elemental metals, and finally, examples are given of hazardous materials requiring attention to systemic effects, as in hydrofluoric acid.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: D Adam
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Robinett
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Shelton
authors.forename: K Sophia
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Dyer
mesh_terms: D001753:Blast Injuries / Q000628:therapy; D002057:Burns, Chemical / Q000628:therapy*; D002840:Chromates / Q000009:adverse effects; D003666:Decontamination; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005107:Explosions; D015386:Hazardous Substances / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D006858:Hydrofluoric Acid / Q000009:adverse effects; D013638:Tars / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D002840:Chromates; D015386:Hazardous Substances; D013638:Tars; D006858:Hydrofluoric Acid; C034944:chromic acid