SHRI doctor spells out first crucial steps to help burn victims
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, January 09 2024: It is winter in Manipur, and as temperature drops, people are increasingly using heating appliances to cope with the cold.

What comes with the increasing use of heating appliances is cases of burn caused by boiling water or fire.

The incidence of burn cases is common in winter and Shija Hospital's Consultant Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Dr Michael Laitonjam has shared with The Sangai Express valuable insights and ways to prevent most of the common burn injuries.

Dr Michael said 90 percent of the burn injuries are preventable.

The annual burn incidence in India and Manipur is high.

The annual burn incidence in India is between 60 and 70 lakhs.

In India annually, it kills around 1.4 /1.5 lakh people.

SHRI doctor spells out first crucial steps to help burn victims

The incidence of burn is common among the age group 15 and 35 years.

It is more common in women and children.

Four out of every five burn cases are either women or children, said the doctor.

From simple burn to severe, burn has many types.

Burns often result from hot liquids, steam, flame or flask, electrical and chemical contact.

Examples include sunburn, burn due to explosion of kerosene stoves, contact burn by boiling water, electric shock burn, chemical burn which includes acid burn and radiation burn etc.

Contact burn refers to the burn caused when a person comes in contact with a hot object.

Homicidal or suicidal burn cases rarely occur in Manipur.

Most burn cases in Manipur are accidental in nature.

This can be avoided with proper care and preventive measures, Dr Michael said.

Incidence of burn in the kitchen is common in Manipur.

Common among children is burn due to contact with hot/boiling water.

The hospital encounters 20-25 percent severe burn cases among children caused by contact with boiling water.

Care should be taken when handling hot/boiling water or electric appliances in the presence of children, said the doctor.

Electric appliances and open sockets must be kept or placed in places where children can't reach.

Dry cells or battery refills must be kept far from reach of children.

Accidental biting of dry cells may cause burn in children's mouths.

Simply, children shouldn't be allowed in the kitchen, the doctor said.

Most burn cases in adults happen in the kitchen and workshops/work places.

The hospital has encountered severe burn cases in adults ranging from 20-40 percent to 60-70 percent, he said.

Burn due to electric shock, petrol/kerosene burn, burn due to explosion of gas are common in adults.

A burn is treated according to its severity and nature, said Dr Michael.

The following has been advised by the doctor:

Sunburn

First degree burn, for example a mild sunburn can be treated or avoided by applying sunscreen cream or lotion.
To avoid severe sunburn, exposed parts of the skin can be covered with clothes and other gears/sheds.

Burn caused by hot/boiling water

Immediately, the person should be kept away from the source of the heat to stop burning.
The burn area should be treated with normal cold or lukewarm running water for 20 minutes.
Don't use ice or iced water.
The same steps mentioned above may be applied in cases of burn caused by fire.
The burn area shouldn't be rubbed with hands.
After treating the burn area with cold/lukewarm running water, the person should be brought to a nearest health centre or a hospital for medical treatment.
In case of severe burns, the person/patient should be taken to a tertiary health care facility, for example RIMS and Shija Hospital for Manipur.

Burn caused by fire

In case of burn caused by a major fire, there is a high chance of people inhaling poisonous carbon monoxide.
Victims of fire should be immediately given oxygen therapy and administered drip/IV fluid, and brought to tertiary care as soon as possible.
If an individual has caught fire, immediate steps should be measures to stop or put out the fire.
The fire can be put out using a fire extinguisher.
If a fire extinguisher isn't available, a blanket or thick clothes may be wrapped over the person to put out the fire.
Rolling on the ground or in sand may help extinguish fire.
Clothes and ornaments the person is wearing in the burn area should be removed with care to avoid it sticking onto the skin.
The entire clothes or piece of clothes that have already stuck on the skin shouldn't be removed.
Nylon and polyester fabrics when ignited melt and they tend to stick to skin while cotton burns easily.
The burn area shouldn't be rubbed against with clothes or hands.

Burn related problems and care

Even after treatment and properly cured, post burn contracture (contraction in skin) is common.

Burn victims usually feel uncomfortable when meeting other people.
Post burn contracture is enhanced if treatment including the dressing of the wounds is not done properly.
If the contraction of skin happens on the feet, it may even cause inconveniences in walking.
This contraction in the skin can be reduced with proper medical dressing, skin grafting and physiotherapy.
Early treatment may significantly reduce this condition.

Prevention

Even as the incidence of burn is common, 90 percent of burn injuries are preventable.
The high incidence is attributed to illiteracy, poverty and low level safety consciousness among people.
Dissemination of proper awareness on safe handling of electric appliances, gas stove, petroleum products among people, mostly in rural areas is needed.
The use of electric heating appliances and traditional heater/chullah is common during winter.
Kerosene or gas stoves and all heating appliances should be operated in open or properly ventilated rooms.
After using, the appliances should be kept in proper places, out of reach of children.
Proper care should be taken when handling hot/boiling water, electrical appliances and stoves around children.
For safety, children shouldn't be allowed inside the kitchen, generally when handling devices that may cause burn or hurt them.
Dr Michael said people in possession of CMHT (Chief Ministergi Hakshelgi Tengbang) may avail treatment at a reduced cost depending on the cases.