Citation

Skibba KEH, Cleveland CN, Bell DE. J. Burn Care Res. 2020; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, American Burn Association, Publisher Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1093/jbcr/iraa117

PMID

32645715

Abstract

Thousands of people are injured in motor vehicle collisions daily and mandated installation of airbags protect passengers but can also cause injuries from deployment including cutaneous burns. We sought to characterize the patterns and outcomes of burns resulting from airbag deployment by performing a retrospective review of all patients evaluated by the burn service from 5/1/2015-4/30/2019. Inclusion criteria was patients of all ages with burn injuries related to airbag deployment. Demographic data, burn characteristics, and outcomes were reviewed. Seventeen patients met inclusion criteria: 82.4% female, 17.6% male. The average age was 40.4 years. Fifteen patients had second degree and two had third degree burns. The average TBSA was 0.45%. The hands or upper extremity (88%) were most often injured, but there were two chest, one neck, and one anterior thigh burn. Eight patients suffered multiple burns. Burn etiology (chemical vs. thermal) was often not specified. No patients required hospitalization or surgical intervention, and all wounds healed with wound care. The average time to re-epithelialization was 11 days. Although airbags prevent mortality and serious injury, the exothermic chemical reaction that inflates the airbag is responsible for deployment related burns. Since there is a chemical and thermal component, all airbag related burns should undergo chemical decontamination on initial presentation. Burns related to airbag deployment tend to be small and do not require grafting, however, patients suffer from associated pain, scarring, and burn management can be a financial and time burden to the patient.

Language: en

Keywords

burn; air bag; airbag; alkali; thermal