Cases of pediatric patients with electric burns on their fingers but family members arbitrarily treated them at home led to severe infections, loss of tendons and exposed bones… To save the patient’s fingertip, doctors applied Using the post-operative method of shaping the finger, marking the injured finger on the abdomen.
The first case is child patient NKH (3 years old, in Yen Thanh district, Nghe An ) who unfortunately touched the electrical outlet and was shocked. Luckily, his family removed him in time, but his finger was burned. Thinking the wound was simple, the family treated it at home.
But after more than a week, the wound did not heal so he was taken to the hospital. Child patient H was admitted to the hospital with all his tendons missing and bones exposed, with infected third- and fourth-degree electrical burns .
When admitted to the hospital, patient H.’s family thought it could not be cured, so they wanted to amputate the baby’s finger tip. However, the doctors carefully explained to the family that with current medical technology and qualifications, the above method is not reasonable, surgery can be done to preserve the child’s finger.
After a day of pondering and receiving detailed explanations from the doctor, patient H.’s father agreed to let the doctors operate.
Because the finger was seriously infected, the doctors had to be very meticulous during the surgery and chose the post-operative method of transferring the flap and marking the injured finger to the abdomen to preserve the patient’s finger. After surgery, patient H.’s health gradually recovered, his finger was kept intact and he was discharged from the hospital after more than 3 weeks of treatment.
The second case is child patient KTNV (8 years old, in Quy Hop) who suffered a 1% degree IV electrical burn causing burn damage to the thumb tissue and the 4th finger of the right hand. Similar to the first case, after the child suffered an electrical burn, the family also treated the child at home but it did not help so they were hospitalized for treatment.
MSc.BS. Nguyen Van Thuong – Department of Orthopedic Surgery – Burns of Nghe An Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital said: The children suffered from electrical burns, but because family members arbitrarily treated them at home, it led to infection and loss of tendons… my team and I performed the treatment. Currently, the surgery is meticulous and the postoperative method of flap transfer and injured finger impression in the abdomen is similar to the first case. The surgery went smoothly and the child was able to leave the hospital with stable health after more than 2 weeks of treatment.
“Accidents caused by electricity like the above are unfortunate, the main cause is children’s curiosity and lack of awareness of the danger of electricity. Burn injuries caused by electricity are extremely serious. serious, directly affecting the health and daily life of children, so when encountering the above accidents, it is necessary to promptly take children to medical facilities for timely diagnosis and treatment, absolutely do not Self-treatment at home can lead to unfortunate complications.
Above all, parents and relatives when taking care of young children need to pay attention and be careful with electrical appliances, keeping them out of reach of children”: M.D. Nguyen Van Thuong recommends.
Bernadine Bernier