Symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of chemical burns

Abstract

Injuries from caustic substances usually occur in chemical industry, during transportation and handling of hazardous materials, at home, during job training and at school. Chemical burns are described as injuries to the skin or mucous membranes caused by chemical substances. Usually, strong acids or bases cause protein denaturation in tissues, resulting in cell damage and apoptosis with subsequent necrosis. In add ition some substances may cause toxic as well as thermal damage. The extent of cutaneous damage depends on type, amount, and concentration of the caustic substances, but also on the duration of exposure. Disrupting the pathophysiological mechanism of the chemical reaction at an early stage is therefore the foremost goal of any medical treatment, before treating the actual damage.