| Domiciliary oxygen and smoking: an explosive combination. | |
| | |
MedLine Citation:
|
PMID: 9882067 Owner: NLM Status: MEDLINE |
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
|
Home oxygen therapy has been used to provide symptomatic relief of breathlessness for more than 20 yr. Continuous low-flow oxygen can improve exercise tolerance and decrease pulmonary hypertension in patients suffering from chronic obstructive airway disease. The majority of these patients have been long-time smokers. Despite routine warnings about potential dangers, a considerable number of patients will continue to smoke whilst on oxygen. The incidence of burn injuries related to this practice is not known. Reports of such incidents are, however, very rare. Twenty-one patients who sustained head and neck burn injuries secondary to cigarette related ignition of their oxygen delivery system were admitted to our burn unit over a 7-yr period (1990-1997). All patients (mean age 60.4 yr) had been informed about the associated risks but did not shut off their supplemental oxygen system during smoking. The mean size of their burn injuries was 2% of the total body surface, mainly affecting the face, ears, and neck. The average duration of the hospital stay was 3.6 days. Two patients required split-thickness skin grafting. Whether chronically ill patients on domiciliary oxygen who continue to smoke covertly are amenable to medical advice to abandon this habit is questionable. A more aggressive education about the explosive nature of their activity should help to prevent them from using tobacco and oxygen at the same time. |
| | |
Authors:
|
T Muehlberger; M A Smith; L Wong |
Related Documents
:
|
15849047 - Successful management of severe group a streptococcal soft tissue infections using an a... 18836947 - Severe sepsis in autologous stem cell transplant recipients: microbiological aetiology,... 18272107 - Should etomidate be used for rapid-sequence intubation induction in critically ill sept... 449157 - Shock and resuscitation. iii. accurate refractometric cop determinations in hypovolemia... 6973047 - Coexisting idiopathic hypertrophic subaortic stenosis and coronary artery disease. clin... 17294617 - Sexual dysfunction in females with multiple sclerosis: quantitative sensory testing. |
Publication Detail:
|
Type: Comparative Study; Journal Article |
Journal Detail:
|
Title: Burns : journal of the International Society for Burn Injuries Volume: 24 ISSN: 0305-4179 ISO Abbreviation: Burns Publication Date: 1998 Nov |
Date Detail:
|
Created Date: 1999-03-16 Completed Date: 1999-03-16 Revised Date: 2007-11-15 |
Medline Journal Info:
|
Nlm Unique ID: 8913178 Medline TA: Burns Country: ENGLAND |
Other Details:
|
Languages: eng Pagination: 658-60 Citation Subset: IM |
Affiliation:
|
Division of Plastic Surgery, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA. |
Export Citation:
|
APA/MLA Format Download EndNote Download BibTex |
| MeSH Terms | |
Descriptor/Qualifier:
|
Adult Aged Aged, 80 and over Blast Injuries / etiology*, prevention & control, surgery Burns / etiology*, prevention & control, surgery Debridement Explosions* Facial Injuries / etiology*, prevention & control, surgery Female Follow-Up Studies Home Care Services* Humans Male Middle Aged Oxygen Inhalation Therapy / adverse effects* Patient Education as Topic Retrospective Studies Skin Transplantation Smoking / adverse effects* |
From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
Previous Document: "Tandir": an old and well known cause of burn injury in the Middle East.
Next Document: Total ear reconstruction in post burn deformity.