01.08.2013 | Case Report | Ausgabe 4/2013
Hot airflow burn injury in a paraplegic patient: report of a case
- Zeitschrift:
- European Surgery > Ausgabe 4/2013
Summary
Background
A 24-year-old paraplegic woman suffered deep dermal burns to both hands and circumferential burns to all fingers after a manicure. To accelerate the drying process of the nail polish, the caregiver used a hairdryer. Due to her impaired pain sensation, the patient could not feel the happening skin damage and the inexperienced caregiver did not even consider such a possibility.
Methods
Case report and review of the literature.
Results
After conservative treatment for 3 weeks, we performed skin grafting on the remaining unhealed wound areas with a 100 % take rate and good final results.
Conclusions
The need of a hot air stream during a manicure is questionable. However, in a patient without sensation of pain, its use requires extreme care; otherwise, thermal injuries can easily occur.