CNN Vital Signs highlights burn prevention precautions

With the June festivities and the traditional São João bonfires, the risk of burns increases in Brazil.

Every year around 1 million people suffer accidents of this type in the country. Of this total, at least 100,000 seek hospital care. About 3,000 die, directly or indirectly, from injuries. Data are from the Ministry of Health and cover the period between 2011 and 2019.

Immediately, the patient should place the burned part under cold running water, with a gentle jet, for approximately ten minutes. Wet and cold compresses are also indicated by the Ministry of Health. In the case of burns over large areas of the body, by chemicals or electricity, the victim needs urgent medical attention.

At the CNN Vital Signs this week, specialists alert to the risks, address the main precautions and measures to prevent burns. The rerun of the program presented by cardiologist Roberto Kalil will air this Saturday (1st) at 6 pm.

“When the price of gas goes up, people look for flammables to cook food, make rechauds, lamps or spirit holders, as they call it in São Paulo, in an improvised way and then accidents happen”, says José Adorno, plastic surgeon and president of the Brazilian Society of Burns (SBQ).

At the Burn Treatment Unit of the State Hospital of Bauru, in the interior of São Paulo, the main causes of burns are accidents with fire caused by alcohol.

“They represent 50% of our hospitalized patients and are caused by all types of alcohol, whether liquid, gel, fuel, ethanol, which people are using to light barbecues, or even to burn leaves in the backyard”, he says. Cristiane Rocha, plastic surgeon and unit coordinator. “In second place comes scald burns, which are burns with hot liquids, which end up reaching children, who are the most vulnerable in this type of burn”.

To reveal the dangers of hot, flammable liquids, electrical shocks and fire in home and work environments, the CNN team went to the command of the Fire Department in São Paulo.

“We are going to light the gel alcohol and liquid alcohol, ethanol, with a match, and we will see the difference in visibility and in the amount of flame”, says captain André Elias, spokesman for the corporation, in a demonstration . “Liquid alcohol forms a cloud of flammable vapor which reaches its ignition point and it catches fire completely and suddenly. That’s what gives the explosion “.

The captain claims that the kitchen environment can pose risks, especially for children and the elderly, and mentions some preventive measures. “Whenever cooking, put the pots on the back burner of the stove, whenever possible the handle of the pot into the stove, so that this child does not hit his hand on the handle, and ends up dropping this pot and all its contents in on top of it,” he says.

“Another very common thing that we observe are the families that still use those long tablecloths. Then the mother comes, puts the soup on the table, the child pulls the towel, and what is on the table falls on top of her”. Finally, he reiterates: “Do not use alcohol for cooking and always check for possible leaks in your LPG using a sponge with detergent. Pass over the connections and if it makes bubbles, pops, it is because there is a problem”.

According to experts, burns can be classified into different degrees of depth. First degree, when the lesions reach only the epidermal layer. Second degree, when there is involvement of the epidermis and the superficial or deep layer of the dermis. Third degree, affecting, in addition to the skin, other tissues such as the subcutaneous tissue, muscles, tendons and even bones.

“The greater the body area burned, the greater the mortality rate, but one must also consider age factors, agents and severity of burns, rescue conditions before hospitalization, complications and health status before the injury”, says Breno Pessoa , plastic surgeon and head of the Burn Center at Instituto José Frota (IJF), in Fortaleza.

The IJF is a reference in burn care in Brazil. In the episode, the procedure with tilapia skin will be exclusively presented for the treatment of a patient who suffered burns on his arms in an accident with hot liquid.

Developed by doctors from Ceará over the last seven years, research with tilapia skin points out that it acts as a bandage for second and third degree burns and that its use accelerates the healing process, in addition to reducing the patient’s pain.

In all, more than 500 people have already benefited from the procedure in Brazil. It is estimated that the product will be approved by the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) and be available in the Unified Health System (SUS) in less than two years.

The work involves 297 researchers, nine Brazilian states, eight countries and 26 publications in national and international journals, with 19 awards won.

“There are still studies with NASA, Fiocruz and Butantan, citation of the research in four international series, such as Grey’s Anatomy, Good Doctor, Vampires and The Resident, in addition to four patents with products developed from tilapia skin”, says Edmar Maciel , general coordinator of the research and president of the Instituto de Apoio e Reabilitação do Queimado, in Fortaleza. “We also participated in fire missions in California, Lebanon and the Pantanal”, he adds.

Depending on the degree of burn and the extent of the burned area, the patient may be hospitalized for weeks or months. In addition, even after hospital discharge, medical, psychological, physical therapy and occupational therapy follow-up may be necessary.