RESUMO
Incidents involving tanker trucks regularly appear in the media. The one in Morogoro (Tanzania) on August 10th 2019 (killing at least 89) attracted our attention. We reviewed medical literature (sparse) and media reports to identify and analyse these incidents. In high income countries isolated accidents may be responsible for a few deaths. In low income countries "double" accidents can occur. A commonplace incident occurs which frequently has no victim. When the incident involves a petrol leak, people gather to scoop up the fuel. A spark ignites the petrol and the ensuing engulfing fire is in itself deadly. Frequently, it triggers a tanker BLEVE, which is responsible for a disaster. Preventing these casualties should include avoiding the initial incident, and also (and above all) discouraging the locals from scooping up fuel they can use or possibly sell in order to survive.
RESUMO
Thanks to the Medical Information Service of our institution, we obtained the data on burns during 2019, saved in the national database. We found 10,913 reports, among them 10,347 metropolitan and 566 overseas. When compared to the French population on January 1st 2020, the incidences were 16 (global population); 15.7 (metropolitan) and 27.1 (overseas)/100,000 inhabitants respectively. The majority (62.95%) of the patients were taken care of in Burn Centres (BCs). However, 4,043 patients were never seen by a burn specialist. Nevertheless 88.54% of skin grafts were performed in BCs and 71.86% of the burns with high seriousness (levels 3 and 4) were in BCs. One hundred and seventy-nine patients (1.64%) died. For the first time, we obtained the intensive care activity, through the scoring actions. Intensive care was held for 958 patients (8.96%), 90.81% of them in a BC. Only 28.57% were associated with major (>30% BSA) burns, but these major burns accounted for 63.78% of the organ failure treatments.
RESUMO
Traumatology is an old specialty, and most knowledge about it was developed during wars. On the other hand, burn care is much more recent and knowledge has been acquired in particular from civilian disaster casualties. This paper aims to describe some of the disasters that led to progress in burn care.
RESUMO
Major trauma remains a worldwide cause of morbi-mortality. Early mortality is the consequence of hemorrhagic shock and traumatic brain injury. During early resuscitation, anaesthesia is often mandatory to perform surgery. It is mandatory to master the hemodynamic effects of hypnotic drugs in order to anticipate their potential deleterious effects in the setting of hemorrhagic shock. After early resuscitation, trauma patients present a high prevalence of nosocomial pneumonia, which sustains major morbidity. Nosocomial pneumonia are the consequence of an overwhelming systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) as well as a trauma-related immunosuppression. The administration of hemisuccinate of hydrocortisone modulates the SIRS and reduces the risk of nosocomial pneumonia as well as the length of mechanical ventilation. Finally in the operating theatre, fighting against hypothermia and un-anatomical positions, which can aggravate rhabdomyolysis, are both mandatory.