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More and more Chinese drink hot water from water dispensers while many children were scalded due to this change. The present study aimed to propose a feasible strategy for prevention.A retrospective study was conducted for all water dispensers related pediatric burns admitted to Changhai Hospital from January 2005 to December 2009.The number of new cases and incidences of pediatric burns due to hot water from water dispensers was significantly increasing year after year. In the total 238 involved cases, 175 cases happened on males and 78.9% were at the age of 1 - 4 years. The burn areas were mainly located in upper extremities. All water dispensers in the surveyed families had no isolate protection devices and 85.2% of their locations were easy for children to reach. Nearly half of the children were in the same room with their guardians when injured. Total 196 burned children were playing the taps of water dispensers before injured, unfortunately, 80.6% of them have not been stopped until burned.As the kind of burns is quite serious and with bad outcome, some recommendations should be followed, such as buying water dispensers with protection devices, keeping children from touching them and so on.

Unplanned extubation is associated with adverse outcomes in intensive care unit. The massive burn patient differs from other critically ill patients in many ways. However, little is known about the unplanned decannulation (UD) in Burn Intensive Care Unit. This paper describes the special features of the circumstances and outcome of UD of tracheotomy tube in massive burn patients.A case series study was performed between January 1999 and December 2008 and UD of tracheotomy tube was analyzed retrospectively. A total of 21 patients with 29 UD events were identified. Demographic data, diagnosis, intervention, UD events and outcome of UD patients were collected. Differences in proportions were compared using the chi-square (χ(2)) or Fisher's exact test.Patients with UD were often burned with head and neck (67%) and combined with inhalation injury (62%). The majority of them (76%) were transferred patients, occurred early (55%) and were accidental UD (79%). UD events tended to happen in day shift (90%) and to be associated with the medical procedure that was performing by caregivers at besides (79%). Loose of the stabilizing rope, medical procedure and tracheotomy malposition were the main causes of UD. Early UD and reintubation failure were associated with patients' death.UD happened to massive burn patients can lead to patient death. Careful management of respiratory tract was essential for massive burn patients.

To summarize the clinical experience in repair of deep burn and traumatic wounds with combined transplantation of different types of pedicled skin flaps in lower extremities.Two hundred and thirty-six patients with 271 deep wounds in lower extremities after burn or trauma were repaired with muscular skin flaps, local fascial flaps and island flaps with vascular pedicle (more than 20 types) in our department from Jan. 1998 to Sept. 2008.Complete necrosis of skin flaps occurred in 1 case, congestion and necrosis over the edge of skin flaps occurred in 3 cases, which were healed after grafting, and other skin flaps survived well with soft texture. Skin flaps were too bulky in 26 cases, among them 17 cases were thinned, and the appearance of other skin flaps were satisfactory. In 68 patients with functional region injury were recovered to certain extent without contracture.Skin flaps with pedicles, multiple transplantations if necessary, can repair deep wounds satisfactorily in lower extremities after deep burn or trauma injury.

To evaluate the safety and long-term effect of recombinant human epithelial growth factor (rhEGF) on deep partial-thickness burn wounds.Thirty-seven burn patients were enrolled in this study and were observed by randomized, double-blinded and placebo-controlled protocol. An area of deep partial-thickness burn wounds from each patient was divided into control (C) and treatment (T) portions. The wound in C was treated with normal saline while that in T with rhEGF. The patients were followed-up for 1 and 4 years after wound healing. The healed wounds were evaluated by modified Vancouver scar scale in terms of scar index (SI).1 year after wound healing, it was found that the SI in T group (7.19 +/- 1.67) was obviously lower than that in C group (8.92 +/- 1.78, P0.01). The SI in T group (6.12 +/- 1.54) was still evidently lower than that in C group (8.09 +/- 1.81, P0.01) four years after wound healing. There were no signs of development of tumor or cancer in all the tested burn wound areas.External application of rhEGF might be beneficial to the healing quality of deep partial-thickness burn wound with less scar formation and better long-term effects, and it is safe.