Citation

Sheckter C, Chattopadhyay A, Paro J, Karanas Y. Burns Trauma 2016; 4: e35.

Affiliation

Division of Plastic Surgery, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA USA ; Santa Clara Valley Medical Center Regional Burn Center, 751 South Bascom Avenue, San Jose, CA 95128 USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, Institute of Burn Research, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, China, Publisher Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group - BMC)

DOI

10.1186/s41038-016-0061-9

PMID

27995151

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) sales have grown rapidly in recent years, coinciding with a public perception that they are a safer alternative to traditional cigarettes. However, there have been numerous media reports of fires associated with e-cigarette spontaneous combustion. CASE PRESENTATION: Three severe burns caused by spontaneous combustion of e-cigarettes within a 6-month period were treated at the Santa Clara Valley Medical Center Burn Unit. Patients sustained partial and full-thickness burns. Two required hospitalization and surgical treatment.

CONCLUSIONS: E-cigarettes are dangerous devices and have the potential to cause significant burns. Consumers and the general public should be made aware of these life-threatening devices.

Language: en