Pediatric burns in the Bedouin population in southern Israel.

Burn trauma is an important public health concern, with increased risk for burns in children. A cross-sectional study was performed to describe the epidemiological characteristics and risk factors for burns in hospitalized Bedouin children in Soroka University Medical Center during the years 2001-2002. In a population of 558 hospitalized burn-injured patients, 282 Bedouin children were identified. Two hundred and sixty five patients (94.0%) had burns involving less than 20% of the body surface area. Cause of the burns was scald in 190 patients (67.4%), fire in 80 patients (28.4%), chemical in 8 patients (2.8%), and explosion in 2 patients (0.7%). Two female patients (0.7%) aged 11 and 17 years died of their burns that were caused by fire. The mean length of hospitalization was 9.8 days. Pediatric burn injury has become a significant public health problem in the Bedouin population of the Negev. To reduce the burden of burn injury, it is necessary to increase current efforts in prevention of burns.

Adenosine in burn blister fluid.

BACKGROUND: Burn wound blister fluid is known to sustain suppressive effects on various components of the immune system. Damaged tissues cause an increase of adenosine concentrations. Since adenosine is a potent anti-inflammatory agent we hypothesized that burn blister fluid contains high concentrations of this nucleoside. METHODS: Burn blister fluid was drawn from eleven patients who suffered a second degree burn injury. Adenosine concentrations were determined using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). RESULTS: Elevated adenosine levels were detected in 6 of the 11 patients (54.5%), with an overall mean of 1.13+/-0.52 mM. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first documented data showing increased concentrations of adenosine in burn blister fluid.

Burns at the soroka university medical center - a two-year experience.

Background. Burn trauma is a major public health concern, with increased risk for burns in children. Objectives. To characterize the profile of injured burn patients and to identify patients who are prone to burn injury. Methods. This is a cross-sectional study including all patients who were admitted to the Burns and Plastic Surgery Department, Soroka University Medical Center, Israel, between 1 January 2001 and 31 December 2002. Results. Five hundred and fifty-eight patients with a mean age of 15.4 yr (SD, 19.5 yr) were included in the study. There were 348 male patients (62.4%). The cause of the burns was scalding in 314 patients (56.3%), flame in 177 (31.7%), chemicals in 31 (5.6%), explosion in 20 (3.6%), and electricity in four (0.7%). There were 325 Bedouin patients (58.2%) and 221 Jewish patients (39.6%). In Bedouins, 235 patients (72.3%) were children below 5 yr, compared to 59 Jewish patients (26.7%) (p < 0.001). Eighteen burn patients (3.2%) expired. A multivariate analysis demonstrated that age and percentage of body surface area involved in the burn were significantly associated with mortality. Conclusions. The epidemiological characteristics of the burned population in Soroka University Medical Center are described. Burn injury has become a principal public health problem, particularly in Bedouin children.

Combined treatment of basaloid anal carcinoma using cisplatin, 5-fluorouracil and resection of hepatic metastasis.

The combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy with subsequent repeated local biopsy has become the standard treatment of epidermoid carcinoma. The optimal treatment of metastatic anal carcinomas is controversial. We present the case of 54-year-old woman with a diagnosis of metastatic basaloid anal carcinoma. The patient underwent resection of liver metastasis in combination with cisplatin + 5FU and local radiotherapy, without evident disease 3 years after diagnosis.

[Fournier's gangrene as a delayed complication of closed hemorrhoidectomy].

BACKGROUND: Fournier's gangrene is recognized as a synergistic necrotizing fasciitis of the perineum and abdominal wall along with the scrotum and penis in men and the vulva in women. The major sources of Fournier's Gangrene are dermatologic, anorectal and genitourinary infections. Although anorectum is remarkably rich in bacterial flora, transanal procedures are generally free of infectious or septic complications. Nevertheless, five cases of Fournier's gangrene post hemorrhoidectomy have been published. OBJECTIVE: To report a case of Fournier's gangrene as a delayed complication of closed hemorrhoidectomy and to demonstrate the management of such complication. PATIENT: A sixty-six years old male who had undergone an uncomplicated closed hemorrhoidectomy was readmitted to the hospital on postoperative day 7 for fever, perirectal erythema and tenderness accompanied by a dirty brown discharge from the wound. The patient was treated with fluid resuscitation and broad-spectrum antibiotics. Radical debridement of the perianal and scrotal region was performed accompanied by diverting colostomy. Four months later a reconstruction of the perianal area was performed by meshed split thickness skin graft and the colostomy was closed. CONCLUSIONS: Fournier's gangrene is a rare immediate or delayed complication of hemorrhoidectomy. A review of the limited available literature suggests that neither the surgical technique nor the medical history of the patient have an influence on the development of such a rare and fatal complication.