title: Methamphetamine laboratory-related burns in Western Australia--why the explosion?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  With increasing numbers of illicit drug users in both urban and rural communities, users and producers are becoming increasingly enterprising in their sourcing of mind altering drugs. An example of this is the 'amateur' production of methamphetamine in domestic dwellings. We describe the mechanism of burn seen in methamphetamine production, the pattern of clinical injury, and the difficulties in treating these patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 12 month retrospective study of five patient groups presenting to our burn service with injuries following methamphetamine laboratory explosion.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of five patient groups we have treated 9 individual patients (with one patient presenting on two different occasions) with burns following methamphetamine laboratory explosion. All patients were male and required hospital admission. The cause of the explosive injury was initially reported as barbeque or oven related, assault, or accident in all patients. Two patients (in separate events) required intubation for associated inhalation injury. Burn size varied from 1% to 40% BSA. 7 patients required surgical debridement and skin grafting. Injury type was thermal and chemical. All patients had difficult follow-up due to low levels of clinic attendance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Methamphetamine laboratory explosion burns are difficult injuries from the start. Invariably the true circumstances surrounding the injury are not clear, and clinicians should be suspicious of a meth lab explosion in suspect individuals with burns plus airway injury. Patient management is complex and often requires substantial analgesic and anxiolytic medication in conjunction with clinical psychology and psychiatry as an inpatient.
authors.affiliation: Burn Service of Western Australia, Royal Perth Hospital, Wellington St Campus, Perth, WA 6001, Australia. tomasoneill@gmail.com
authors.forename: Tomas B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: O'Neill
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Rawlins
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rea
authors.forename: F M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Wood
mesh_terms: D000059:Accidents; D000328:Adult; D002057:Burns, Chemical / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D005107:Explosions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008694:Methamphetamine / Q000138:chemical synthesis*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014904:Western Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D008694:Methamphetamine