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Manual of Burns pp 93–106Cite as

Special Types of Burn-Related Injury

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Part of the book series: Comprehensive Manuals of Surgical Specialties ((CMSS))

Abstract

Carbon monoxide, a product of combustion, may occur in sufficient concentration in situations leading to flame injuries to result in elevated blood levels of carboxyhemoglobin.1 Carbon monoxide has an affinity for the hemoglobin molecule approximately 204 times greater than does oxygen. In sufficient concentration, carbon monoxide significantly limits the quantity of hemoglobin available for oxygen transport, resulting in tissue hypoxia. Dyspnea, headache, tachypnea, and tachycardia are the early presenting symptoms of exposure. If the exposure is not terminated and the patient promptly and adequately treated, coma, convulsions, bradycardia, and respiratory failure occur when the carboxy hemoglobin level exceeds 40%. Carboxyhemoglobin levels can be measured by means of a portable device containing an electrochemical cell which is reported to be easy to operate, accurate, and reliable.2 Carboxyhemoglobin concentrations which exceed 20% produce hypoxic symptoms and must be treated.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and University Hospitals, Cleveland, Ohio, USA

    W. Scott McDougal M.D.

  2. William Beaumont Army Medical Center, El Paso, Texas, USA

    C. Lawrence Slade M.D.

  3. United States Army Institute of Surgical Research, Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, Texas, USA

    Basil A. Pruitt Jr. M.D.

Authors
  1. W. Scott McDougal M.D.
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  2. C. Lawrence Slade M.D.
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  3. Basil A. Pruitt Jr. M.D.
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© 1978 Springer-Verlag New York Inc.

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McDougal, W.S., Slade, C.L., Pruitt, B.A. (1978). Special Types of Burn-Related Injury. In: Manual of Burns. Comprehensive Manuals of Surgical Specialties. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-6298-5_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-6298-5_5

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4612-6300-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4612-6298-5

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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