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Domiciliary oxygen and smoking: an explosive combination
T Muehlberger1, M A Smith, L Wong
1Division of Plastic Surgery, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA.
Burns : Journal of the International Society for Burn Injuries
|January 9, 1999
Summary
Patients using home oxygen therapy for chronic obstructive airway disease who smoke are at risk of burn injuries. Education on the dangers of smoking while on oxygen is crucial to prevent these incidents.
Area of Science:
- Medical Science
- Pulmonology
- Burn Medicine
Background:
- Home oxygen therapy is a common treatment for breathlessness in chronic obstructive airway disease (COPD).
- COPD patients are often long-time smokers, and many continue to smoke despite warnings.
- The risk of burn injuries from smoking while using supplemental oxygen is not well-documented.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the incidence and characteristics of burn injuries in patients using home oxygen therapy who smoke.
- To assess the severity and outcomes of these specific burn injuries.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of burn unit admissions over a 7-year period.
- Analysis of patient demographics, injury causes, burn size, treatment, and hospital stay.
Main Results:
- Twenty-one patients sustained head and neck burns due to smoking while on oxygen therapy.
- The average burn size was 2% of total body surface area, with most affecting the face, ears, and neck.
- Hospital stays averaged 3.6 days, with two patients requiring skin grafting.
Conclusions:
- Smoking while using home oxygen poses a significant risk of localized burn injuries.
- Current warnings may be insufficient; more aggressive patient education on the explosive risks is needed.
- Preventing concurrent use of tobacco and oxygen is essential for patient safety.