Cement burn: Difference between revisions
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==Background== | ==Background== | ||
{{Skin anatomy background images}} | |||
[[File:Cement mixer trucks in the Philippines Highway 33.jpg|thumb|Pouring cement and man with wearing protective equipment.]] | |||
*Widely used in construction, under recognized as a caustic agent able to cause severe skin injury | *Widely used in construction, under recognized as a caustic agent able to cause severe skin injury | ||
*Calcium hydroxide very strong corrosive alkali | *Calcium hydroxide very strong corrosive alkali | ||
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{{Caustic burn types}} | {{Caustic burn types}} | ||
== | ==Evaluation== | ||
*Causes a liquefactive necrosis via protein denaturation (not a thermal burn) | *Causes a liquefactive necrosis via protein denaturation (not a thermal burn) | ||
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==Disposition== | ==Disposition== | ||
*As can look benign in first few hours, admission, may need burn center if full thickness, circumferential, involving feet | *As can look benign in first few hours, admission, may need burn center if full thickness, circumferential, involving feet | ||
{{Burn center transfer criteria}} | |||
==See Also== | ==See Also== | ||
*[[Burns]] | *[[Burns]] | ||
==External Links== | ==External Links== | ||
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==References== | ==References== | ||
*Spoo J, Elsner P. Cement burns: a review 1960-2000. Contact Dermatitis 2001; 45:68. | *Spoo J, Elsner P. Cement burns: a review 1960-2000. Contact Dermatitis 2001; 45:68. | ||
<references/> | <references/> | ||
[[Category:Trauma]] | |||
[[Category:Dermatology]] | |||
[[Category:Symptoms]] | |||
Latest revision as of 16:18, 11 December 2024
Background
- Widely used in construction, under recognized as a caustic agent able to cause severe skin injury
- Calcium hydroxide very strong corrosive alkali
- pH of 10-12 that can increase to pH 14 during hydrolysis/setting process
Clinical Features
- Most often on lower legs/knees given nature of work
- Kneeling down in cement, walking in cement without protection, spilling over top of work boots
- Symptom onset several hours after exposure - may not start to feel until 3-4 hours after initial exposure
- Can have partial to full thickness burn
Differential Diagnosis
- Lye Burn
Caustic Burns
- Caustic ingestion
- Caustic eye exposure (Caustic keratoconjunctivitis)
- Caustic dermal burn
- Airbag-related burns
- Hydrofluoric acid
- Tar burn
- Cement burn
Evaluation
- Causes a liquefactive necrosis via protein denaturation (not a thermal burn)
Management
- Copious water irrigation for at least 30 mins
- May cause circumferential burns
- Counsel about skin protection in future if occupational
Disposition
- As can look benign in first few hours, admission, may need burn center if full thickness, circumferential, involving feet
Burn Center Transfer Criteria[1]
- Partial thickness >20% BSA (10-50 years old)
- Partial thickness >10% BSA (<10 or > 50 yrs old)
- Full thickness >5% BSA (any age)
- Burns involving face, eyes, ears, genitalia, joints, hands, feet
- Burns with inhalation injury
- High voltage electrical burn
- Chemical burns
- Burns complicated by fracture or other trauma (in which burn is main cause of morbidity)
- Burns in high-risk patients
See Also
External Links
References
- Spoo J, Elsner P. Cement burns: a review 1960-2000. Contact Dermatitis 2001; 45:68.