Chemical burns from assault: a review of seven cases seen in a Nigerian tertiary institution.

Chemical burns represent a major challenge for reconstructive surgeons. They are caused by exposure to acids, alkalis or other corrosive substances which result in various degrees of injury. This report highlights the challenges faced in managing such patients in a Nigerian teaching hospital. The medical records of seven patients (four females and three males) treated for chemical burns injury from January 2001 to December 2010 were retrospectively reviewed. All patients were younger than 30, with a mean age of 23.3. Most of them (85.7%) had sustained full thickness burns ranging from 8% to 33% of their body surface area. All cases were result of assaults. The male to female ratio was 1:1.3, and the average duration of hospital stay was 7.5 months. The face was affected in all patients. Patients presented with multiple deformities, like ectropion of eyelids, keratopathies, blindness, nasal deformities, microstomia, loss or deformities of the pinna, mentosternal contractures, and severe scarring of the face. Twenty-nine surgical procedures were performed, which included nasal and lip reconstruction, ectropion release, commissuroplasty, contracture release, and wound resurfacing. Management of chemical burns, especially in a developing country lacking specialised burn centres with appropriate facilities, is challenging. Prevention through public awareness campaigns, legislation for control of corrosive substances, and severe punishment for perpetrators of assaults using these substances will go a long way in reducing the incidence of chemical burns.