Burns caused by electronic vaping devices (e-cigarettes): A new classification proposal based on mechanisms.

Area of Science:

• Trauma surgery
• Burn management
• Public health

Background:

• E-cigarettes have gained widespread popularity, with over 10 million daily users.
• A significant increase in medical reports of e-cigarette explosions and associated injuries has been observed.
• Existing literature lacks a standardized classification for e-cigarette-related injuries.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report a series of e-cigarette-related burn injuries.
• To review the literature on these injuries.
• To propose a novel classification system based on injury mechanisms to guide clinical management.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of an institutional burn database (June 2016 - July 2017).
• Inclusion criteria: injuries caused by or in the context of e-cigarette use.
• Data collected: patient demographics, burn mechanisms, depth, location, surface area, and interventions.

Main Results:

• Ten patients sustained e-cigarette-related burns.
• Common burn locations: thigh (80%) and hand (50%), with a mean total body surface area (TBSA) of 3%.
• Four injury mechanisms identified: Type A (thermal/flame from thermal runaway), Type B (blast lesions), Type C (chemical alkali burns from electrolyte solution), and Type D (thermal burns without flame from overheating).

Conclusions:

• Management of e-cigarette explosion injuries requires a mechanism-based approach.
• The proposed classification (Types A, B, C, D) can assist both non-specialists and specialists in patient care.
• Considering associated mechanisms is crucial for tailored surgical and non-surgical interventions.