[Where there´s smoke - there´s no fire? - Burns from E-Cigarette explosions]

Area of Science:

• Trauma surgery
• Burn management
• Consumer product safety

Background:

• E-cigarette popularity is rising, leading to increased reports of explosions and associated burn injuries.
• Lithium-ion batteries are the primary cause of e-cigarette explosions.
• Lack of specific guidelines necessitates a review of management strategies for these injuries.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present three cases of burn injuries resulting from e-cigarette explosions.
• To develop and recommend management guidelines for burns caused by e-cigarette explosions.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of three cases of e-cigarette explosions treated between 2016 and 2019.
• Analysis of patient demographics, injury severity, and treatment outcomes.
• Literature review to inform guideline development.

Main Results:

• All three explosions occurred in trouser pockets, affecting two males and one female aged 24-64 years.
• Burned total body surface area (TBSA) ranged from 3% to 12.5%, requiring skin grafting in all cases.
• Hospital stays varied from five to eleven days.

Conclusions:

• Recommended management includes following Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) guidelines.
• Assess for inhalation trauma and perform a litmus test before irrigation to prevent exothermic reactions.
• Irrigate alkali pH wounds with mineral oil to neutralize remaining metals.