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Chemical burns of the skin after contact with petrol

1968; Elsevier BV; Volume: 21; Issue: 4 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/s0007-1226(68)80061-x

1465-3087

Gary Hunter,

Burn Injury Management and Outcomes

IN view of the widespread use of petrol in industry and transport, it is surprising that the skin changes after contact with petrol, without ignition of the petrol, are not more widely known amongst the public or recorded in the medical literature.For this reason four patients are reported who sustained chemical burns of the skin after contact with petrol.Two of these patients developed renal failure, one requiring h~emodialysis.They were seen in the Accident Service of the Radcliffe Infirmary in the last two years. CASE REPORTSCase r.--A girl of I9 was admitted after a road traffic accident in which she sustained a supracondylar fracture of the right femur, a mild head injury and multiple abrasions.There were io per cent.partial skin loss burns of her back, right arm and right leg.The burns were treated by exposure and healed I I days after admission.When seen eight months later she complained of persistent discoloration at the site of the burns.There was extensive light brown pigmentation over these areas, which caused a minor cosmetic disability two years after her accident.Case 2.--A 24-year-old woman was admitted after a road traffic accident in which she sustained a fracture of the pelvis, facial lacerations, a fracture of the right radius, multiple abrasions and burns of her back and both arms.The areas were initially noticed to be erythematous but blisters soon developed and after two weeks the cuticle hardened and peeled off revealing lightly pink stained skin.Delayed internal fixation of the right radius was performed when these areas had healed.One year later, however, staining of the skin was still visible but was thought to be fading slowly.