Vajra Bhasma, Ayurvedic medicine: a rare and unusual cause of Lyell’s syndrome and its successful management

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (10) ◽  
pp. e237891
Author(s):  
Shivakumar M Channabasappa ◽  
Bhavna Gupta ◽  
Shruthi Dharmappa

Toxic epidermolysis necrosis (TEN) or Lyell syndrome is a potentially life-threatening immunological adverse skin disease, which mostly occurs secondary to the intake of an offending drug. It commonly manifests as a widespread exfoliating bullous lesion in skin and mucous membrane mimicking superficial burns and may result in hypovolemic and/or septic shock. Authors report an unusual case of Lyell’s syndrome in a 42-year-old woman, secondary to the intake of Ayurveda medicine ‘Vajra Bhasma’ (Diamond Ash) prescribed by an Ayurveda physician for treatment of her trigeminal neuralgia. After 8th day of continuous medication intake, she had prodromal illness and rapidly developing exfoliative skin lesion extended over 80% of total body surface area, breathing difficulty, dizziness and anuria. The case was successfully managed by timely diagnosis, adequate hydration and administration of immunoglobulins. After 17 days, the skin epithelium regenerated, and she improved clinically with some depigmented lesions at discharge, which were normalised without any sequel during her further follow-up visits in hospital. Identification and withdrawal of the suspected drug, adequate resuscitation and early immunoglobulin administration are critical in management of TEN.

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 1411
Author(s):  
Surya Rao Rao Venkata Mahipathy ◽  
Alagar Raja Durairaj ◽  
Narayanamurthy Sundaramurthy ◽  
Manimaran Ramachandran ◽  
Praveen Ganesh Natarajan

Lyell's syndrome or toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) is an epidermal detachment of more than 30% of total body surface area, most commonly due an idiosyncratic immune-allergic reaction to a drug. It causes an acute necrosis of the epidermis, with a clinical picture resembling extensive burns. There is also associated mucosal damage and can occasionally develop into a multiorgan having a poor prognosis. Here we report a case of toxic epidermal necrolysis, due to allopurinol intake and its management as in a large burns and stressing the importance of early treatment in an intensive care unit, with high vigil on fluid and electrolyte balance, prevention and treatment of infection with appropriate antibiotics and regular dressings.


2021 ◽  
Vol 42 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S186-S187
Author(s):  
Eduardo Navarro ◽  
Tera Thigpin ◽  
Joshua S Carson

Abstract Introduction In both partial thickness burns and skin graft donor sites, coverage with Polylactide-based copolymer dressing (PLBC dressing) has been shown to result in expedited healing and improved pain outcomes when compared to more traditional techniques. These advantages are generally attributed to the way in which PLBC remains as an intact coating over the wound bed throughout the healing process, protecting wounds from the contamination and microtraumas associated with changes more conventional dressings. At our institution, we began selectively utilizing PLBC as a means of securing and protecting fresh skin graft, in hopes that we would find similar benefits in this application. Methods Clinical Protocol-- The PLBC dressing was used at the attending surgeon’s discretion. In these cases, meshed STSG was placed over prepared wound beds. Staples were not utilized. PLBC dressing was then placed over the entirety of the graft surface, securing graft in place by adhering to wound bed through intercises. (Staples were not used.) The graft and PLBC complex was further dressed with a layer of non-adherent cellulose based liner with petroleum based lubricant, and an outer layer of cotton gauze placed as a wrap or bolster. Post operatively, the outer layer (“wrap”) of gauze was replaced as needed for saturation. The PLBC and adherent “inner” liner were left in place until falling off naturally over the course of outpatient follow-up. Retrospective Review-- With IRB approval, patients treated PLBC over STSG between April 2018 to March 2019 were identified via surgeon’s log and pulled for review. Documentation gathered from operative notes, progress notes (inpatient and outpatient) and clinical photography was used to identify demographics, mechanism of injury, depth, total body surface area percentage (TBSA%), size of area treated with PLBC dressing, graft loss, need for re-grafting, signs of wound infection, antibiotic treatment, and length of stay. Results Twenty-two patients had STSG secured and dressed with PLBC. Median patient age was 36.5 years. Median TBSA was 5.1%, and median treated area 375 cm2. Follow up ranged from 21 to 232 days post-operatively, with two patients lost to follow up. All patients seen in outpatient follow up were noted to have “complete graft take” or “minimal” graft. None of the areas treated with PLBC dressing required re-grafting. There were no unplanned readmissions, and no wound infections were diagnosed or treated. Practitioners in in-patient setting and in follow up clinic reported satisfaction with the PLBC dressing. Conclusions The PLBC dressing was a feasible solution for securing and dressings STSGs. Future work is needed to determine whether its use is associated with an improvement in patient outcomes.


2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (5) ◽  
pp. 963-966
Author(s):  
Michael Wright ◽  
Jin A Lee

Abstract Analgesia in burn patients is challenging given the complexity of burn pain and prolonged need beyond hospital admission. Given the risks of opioids, the impact of multimodal analgesia postdischarge needs to be further elucidated in this population. This retrospective, single-center cohort study evaluated adult burn patients who were consecutively admitted to the burn service with at least 10% total body surface area burned and subsequently followed in the burn clinic between February 2015 and September 2018. Subjects were separated into two cohorts based on discharge pain regimens: multimodal and nonmultimodal. The primary outcome was the change in opioid requirements (measured in oral morphine equivalents) between discharge and first follow-up interval. Secondary outcomes included the classes of multimodal agents utilized and a comparison of opioid requirements between the last 24 hours of admission and discharge. A total of 152 patients were included for analysis, 76 in the multimodal cohort and 76 in the nonmultimodal cohort. The multimodal cohort was noted to have increased total body surface area burned and prolonged number of days spent in the intensive care unit at baseline; however, the multimodal cohort exhibited a more significant decrease in opioid requirements from discharge to first follow-up interval when compared with the nonmultimodal cohort (106.6 vs 75.4 mg, P = .039).


2009 ◽  
Vol 42 (02) ◽  
pp. 176-181
Author(s):  
P. S. Baghel ◽  
S. Shukla ◽  
R. K. Mathur ◽  
R. Randa

ABSTRACTTo compare the effect of honey dressing and silver-sulfadiazene (SSD) dressing on wound healing in burn patients. Patients (n=78) of both sexes, with age group between 10 and 50 years and with first and second degree of burn of less than 50% of TBSA (Total body surface area) were included in the study, over a period of 2 years (2006-08). After stabilization, patients were randomly attributed into two groups: ‘honey group’ and ‘SSD group’. Time elapsed since burn was recorded. After washing with normal saline, undiluted pure honey was applied over the wounds of patients in the honey group (n=37) and SSD cream over the wounds of patients in SSD group (n=41), everyday. Wound was dressed with sterile gauze, cotton pads and bandaged. Status of the wound was assessed every third and seventh day and on the day of completion of study. Patients were followed up every fortnight till epithelialization. The bacteriological examination of the wound was done every seventh day. The mean age for case (honey group) and control (SSD group) was 34.5 years and 28.5 years, respectively. Wound swab culture was positive in 29 out of 36 patients who came within 8 hours of burn and in all patients who came after 24 hours. The average duration of healing in patients treated with honey and SSD dressing at any time of admission was 18.16 and 32.68 days, respectively. Wound of all those patients (100%) who reported within 1 hour became sterile with honey dressing in less than 7 days while none with SSD. All of the wounds became sterile in less than 21 days with honey, while tthis was so in only 36.5% with SSD treated wounds. The honey group included 33 patients reported within 24 hour of injury, and 26 out of them had complete outcome at 2 months of follow-up, while numbers for the SSD group were 32 and 12. Complete outcome for any admission point of time after 2 months was noted in 81% and 37% of patients in the honey group and the SSD group. Honey dressing improves wound healing, makes the wound sterile in lesser time, has a better outcome in terms of prevention of hypertrophic scarring and post-burn contractures, and decreases the need of debridement irrespective of time of admission, when compared to SSD dressing.


2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S19-S20
Author(s):  
Kara McMullen ◽  
Alyssa M Bamer ◽  
Nicole S Gibran ◽  
Radha K Holavanahalli ◽  
Jeffrey C Schneider ◽  
...  

Abstract Introduction Feeling a part of community and participating in social life are important aspects of overall quality of life. Burn survivors consider community reintegration one of the most important issues affecting their recovery. Integration, including social integration, has been studied in this population, but longitudinal analyses to examine factors associated with successful integration are lacking. The current study aims to assess variables associated with social integration during the first two years post-burn. Methods Adult (18+ years) burn survivors enrolled in the Burn Model System national longitudinal database responded to questionnaires at hospital discharge and 6-, 12-, and 24-months postburn. Social integration was assessed at all follow-up timepoints using the Community Integration Questionnaire Social Integration Component Scale, which has a possible range of scores from 0 (no community integration) to 12 (excellent community integration). To examine variables associated with social integration over time, linear mixed effect models utilizing generalized least squares with maximum likelihood and robust standard errors were used. Independent variables in the model included age, sex, % total body surface area (TBSA) burned, race/ethnicity, living status at time of injury, facial burn, history of psychiatric treatment preburn, employment at follow-up assessment, and SF-12 or VR-12 mental health component scores at the time of each follow-up assessment. Results Data from 1,848 adult burn survivors were included in the analyses. Average age of the survivors was 42.9 years, 74.0% were male, 77.7% were white, 47.0% were married or living common-law with a partner, and mean total body surface area burned was 18.2%. Factors associated with better social integration over time included younger age, female sex, lower TBSA (< 40%) burn size, white/non-Hispanic race, no preburn psychiatric treatment, postburn employment, and better mental health. Time was not a significant predictor, indicating that social integration scores remain relatively stable over the 24-month follow-up period. Conclusions We identified several factors that contribute to greater social integration including age, gender, burn size, race/ethnicity, employment, and mental health, with the association between age, gender, and employment status and community integration a novel finding in this population. Applicability of Research to Practice This study suggests that while most factors associated with social integration are not modifiable, interventions aimed at improving mental health and helping burn survivors return to work could also improve self-reported social integration.


2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juliann G. Kiang ◽  
Min Zhai ◽  
Pei-Jyun Liao ◽  
David L. Bolduc ◽  
Thomas B. Elliott ◽  
...  

Exposure to ionizing radiation alone (radiation injury, RI) or combined with traumatic tissue injury (radiation combined injury, CI) is a crucial life-threatening factor in nuclear and radiological accidents. As demonstrated in animal models, CI results in greater mortality than RI. In our laboratory, we found that B6D2F1/J female mice exposed to60Co-γ-photon radiation followed by 15% total-body-surface-area skin burns experienced an increment of 18% higher mortality over a 30-day observation period compared to irradiation alone; that was accompanied by severe cytopenia, thrombopenia, erythropenia, and anemia. At the 30th day after injury, neutrophils, lymphocytes, and platelets still remained very low in surviving RI and CI mice. In contrast, their RBC, hemoglobin, and hematocrit were similar to basal levels. Comparing CI and RI mice, only RI induced splenomegaly. Both RI and CI resulted in bone marrow cell depletion. It was observed that only the RI mice treated with pegylated G-CSF after RI resulted in 100% survival over the 30-day period, and pegylated G-CSF mitigated RI-induced body-weight loss and depletion of WBC and platelets. Peg-G-CSF treatment sustained RBC balance, hemoglobin levels, and hematocrits and inhibited splenomegaly after RI. The results suggest that pegylated G-CSF effectively sustained animal survival by mitigating radiation-induced cytopenia, thrombopenia, erythropenia, and anemia.


Folia Medica ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 63 (6) ◽  
pp. 847-857
Author(s):  
Katia I. Kalinova ◽  
Ralitsa D. Raycheva ◽  
Neli Petrova ◽  
Petar A. Uchikov

Introduction: Management of deep facial burns is a serious challenge for many reasons: a considerable anatomic and functional diversity is concentrated in a small space, a uniform treatment does not exist, late sequelae are frequent and may be severe, and the literature on the subject is ambiguous. Aim: To analyse management of deep facial burns. Patients and methods: A retrospective medical chart review was conducted for 569 patients with deep facial burns hospitalized between January 2005 and January 2015. Demographic data, type, depth and size of burns, chronology and type of surgical treatment, length of hospital stay, and type and incidence of late sequelae were analysed and compared. Results: Over 10 years, 596 patients with deep facial burns, 216 (36.24%) females and 380 (63.76%) males, aged from 5 months to 95 years (mean 39.5±26 years) were treated. The most common burn agents were hot liquids and flames. The mean total body surface area (TBSA) burned was 17±13.3%. Concomitant eye injury was detected in 63 (10.6%) patients. Priority was given to the early, meticulous, staged surgical approach aimed at sparing the survived tissues and rapid wound closure. Follow-up ranged from 3 months to 5 years. Late functional sequelae were documented for 50 (8.38%) patients and ocular sequelae - for 33 (5.54%) of them. There was no incidence of secondary corneal perforation or definitive loss of vision. Conclusions: Adequate and up-to-date acute management of deep facial burns based on early, judicious, surgical approach could limit initial damage and reduce late sequelae.


2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S85-S85
Author(s):  
Jin A Lee ◽  
Michael Wright

Abstract Introduction Analgesia in burn patients is significantly challenging given the complexity of burn pain. Opioids are a mainstay of therapy, but studies demonstrate varying outcomes with respect to the efficacy of adjunctive non-opioid agents in the treatment of burn pain. The need for analgesia extends beyond hospital admission—given the known risks of opioids, the impact of multimodal analgesia on opioid requirements post-discharge needs to be further elucidated in this population. Methods In this retrospective, single-center cohort study, adult burn patients who were consecutively admitted to the burn ICU service and subsequently followed in the burn clinic between 2/2015 and 9/2018 were evaluated up to 6 months post-discharge. The subjects were divided into two cohorts based on discharge pain regimens: multimodal vs non-multimodal. Individuals taking long-acting opioids prior to admission were excluded. The primary outcome was the change in oral morphine equivalents (OME) between discharge and follow up occurring between 2 - 6 weeks post-discharge. Secondary outcomes included the number of multimodal agents utilized and a comparison of OME between the last 24 hours of admission and discharge. Results A total of 152 patients were included for analysis (n= 76 per cohort). The multimodal cohort demonstrated increased total body surface area burned (23.9% ± 15.4 vs 16.6% ± 7.1; p < 0.001) and prolonged number of days spent in the ICU (22.7 ± 23.1 vs 10.7 ± 8.9; p < 0.001). The change in OME from discharge to first follow up was -106.6 mg in the multimodal vs -75.4 mg in the non-multimodal cohort (p = 0.039; figure 1). In each cohort, discharge OME did not statistically differ from last 24 hour OME (multimodal: p = 0.067; non-multimodal: p = 0.537). The most common non-opioid agents utilized were acetaminophen and gabapentin. Conclusions Despite extended ICU length of stay and larger TBSA, burn patients discharged with multimodal pain regimens demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in oral morphine equivalents from discharge to first follow up compared to those discharged on opioid-only regimens. Applicability of Research to Practice This study demonstrates promising results with respect to lowering discharge opioid requirements by utilizing a multimodal analgesic approach in the management of burn pain.


2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (11) ◽  
pp. 758-761
Author(s):  
Weiguang Ho ◽  
Christopher D. Jones ◽  
Daniel Widdowson ◽  
Hilal Bahia

Objective: It is widely accepted that the early debridement of burns improves outcome. There is increasing evidence that enzymatic debridement is an effective technique for removal of full-thickness and deep-dermal burns, reducing blood loss and often the need for autologous skin grafting by avoiding over excision of the burn. We aim to highlight the potential use of this form of debridement as an alternative to surgical management in patients with electronic cigarette (e-cigarette)-associated flame burn injuries. Methods: This case series presents the use of Nexobrid (MediWound Ltd, Israel), a non-surgical, bromelain-based enzymatic debridement technique, in patients with deep partial-thickness burns (range: 1–3% total body surface area), avoiding the need for autologous skin grafting. Results: Burn wounds in two patients healed within 14 days without complications or the need for further surgical intervention. Another patient required further dressings after discharge but failed to attend follow-up appointments. These results are comparable with those reported by others using conservative management of e-cigarette burns. Conclusion: The authors wish to raise awareness of the potential for a combination of thermal and chemical burns related to e-cigarette explosions. Chemical burns should be excluded by pH testing of the burn wound. From our experience, small e-cigarette-associated flame burns can be considered for management with enzymatic debridement.


2017 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen J. Goldie ◽  
Shaun Parsons ◽  
Hana Menezes ◽  
Andrew Ives ◽  
Heather Cleland

Abstract Background Patients presenting with large surface area burns are common in our practice; however, patients with a secondary large burn on pre-existing burn scars and grafts are rare and not reported. Case presentation We report on an unusual case of a patient sustaining a secondary large burn to areas previously injured by a burn from a different mechanism. We discuss the potential implications when managing a case like this and suggest potential biological reasons why the skin may behave differently. Our patient was a 33-year-old man who presented with a 5% TBSA burn on skin scarred by a previous 40% total body surface area (TBSA) burn and skin grafts. Initially assessed as superficial partial thickness in depth, the wounds were treated conservatively with dressings; however, they failed to heal and became infected requiring surgical management. Conclusions Burns sustained in areas of previous burn scars and grafts may behave differently to normal patterns of healing, requiring more aggressive management and surgical intervention at an early stage.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document