title: Deep sole burns in several participants in a traditional festival of the firewalking ceremony in Kee-lung, Taiwan--clinical experiences and prevention strategies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Firewalking is a common Taoist cleansing ceremony in Taiwan, but burns associated with the practice have rarely been reported. We analyzed the patients with plantar burns from one firewalking ceremony.
  
  
  METHODS
  In one firewalking ceremony, 12 Taoist disciples suffered from contact burns to the soles of their feet while walking over burning coals. Eight of them had at least second-degree burns over areas larger than 1% of their total body surface areas (TBSAs). The age, sex, medical history, date of injury, time taken to traverse the fire pit, depth and TBSA of the burns, treatment, length of stay, and outcome were recorded and analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Deep, disseminated second- to third-degree burns were noted and healing took as long as three weeks in some patients. Because disseminated hypertrophic scars form after burns, the soles involved regain much of their tensile strength while walking. The patients experienced only a few difficulties in their daily lives three months after injury.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  From our experience treating patients with deep disseminated second- to third-degree plantar burns caused by firewalking, we conclude that they should be treated conservatively, with secondary healing rather than a skin graft.
authors: Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Tri-Service General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan. csc901515@hotmail.com
authors: Shun-Cheng
authors: SC
authors: Chang
authors: Chih-Kang
authors: CK
authors: Hsu
authors: Yuan-Sheng
authors: YS
authors: Tzeng
authors: Shou-Cheng
authors: SC
authors: Teng
authors: Ju-Peng
authors: JP
authors: Fu
authors: Niann-Tzyy
authors: NT
authors: Dai
authors: Shyi-Gen
authors: SG
authors: Chen
authors: Tim-Mo
authors: TM
authors: Chen
authors: Chun-Che
authors: CC
authors: Feng
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001458:Bandages; D002056:Burns / Q000150:complications / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy*; D002266:Carboxymethylcellulose Sodium / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002562:Ceremonial Behavior; D017439:Cicatrix, Hypertrophic / Q000209:etiology; D005390:Fires; D018409:Foot Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy*; D006693:Holidays; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012072:Religious Philosophies; D012837:Silver Sulfadiazine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013624:Taiwan; D014945:Wound Healing
chemical_list: D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local; D002266:Carboxymethylcellulose Sodium; D012837:Silver Sulfadiazine