Assessing the efficacy and safety of calcium gluconate soaking as a treatment modality for hydrofluoric acid burns

IF 3.2 3区医学 Q2 CRITICAL CARE MEDICINE

Burns Pub Date : 2025-02-08 DOI:10.1016/j.burns.2025.107422

Chi-Syuan Pan , Chi-Chan Lee , Jiun-Hao Yu , Han-Wei Mu , Dong-Zong Hung , Chun-Hung Chen

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Introduction

Hydrofluoric acid is extremely toxic and can corrode tissues while reacting with calcium and magnesium, leading to severe tissue damage. The antidote, calcium gluconate, is effective for treating mild to moderate burns. However, our hospital lacks registered calcium gluconate gel, making treatment challenging. We investigated alternative soaking methods due to scant literature on this approach.

Methods

This retrospective case series study reviews hydrofluoric acid burn cases at China Medical University Hospital from 2004 and 2020, focusing on the effectiveness of calcium gluconate soaking. Among 29 patients treated for hydrofluoric acid burns in our emergency department, treatments included nail removal and debridement, but all received calcium gluconate soaks without requiring calcium injections.

Results

In our emergency department, 29 patients with hydrofluoric acid burns were treated; 8 required hospitalization and one was admitted to the intensive care unit. Burns varied widely in acid concentration (0.03 %-49 %) and size (1.60 ± 2.93 % body surface area). Treatments included nail removal for one patient and debridement for four. All patients underwent calcium gluconate soaking; none received intra-arterial or subcutaneous injections. There were no fatalities or significant electrolyte imbalances.

Discussion

Calcium gluconate soaking is effective for treating mild HF burns in the absence of gel. However, the lack of a control group limits the ability to compare its efficacy to other treatments.

Conclusion

Calcium gluconate soaking may serve as a practical alternative for treating minor HF burns.

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来源期刊

Burns 医学-皮肤病学

CiteScore

4.50

自引率

18.50%

发文量

304

审稿时长

72 days

期刊介绍： Burns aims to foster the exchange of information among all engaged in preventing and treating the effects of burns. The journal focuses on clinical, scientific and social aspects of these injuries and covers the prevention of the injury, the epidemiology of such injuries and all aspects of treatment including development of new techniques and technologies and verification of existing ones. Regular features include clinical and scientific papers, state of the art reviews and descriptions of burn-care in practice. Topics covered by Burns include: the effects of smoke on man and animals, their tissues and cells; the responses to and treatment of patients and animals with chemical injuries to the skin; the biological and clinical effects of cold injuries; surgical techniques which are, or may be relevant to the treatment of burned patients during the acute or reconstructive phase following injury; well controlled laboratory studies of the effectiveness of anti-microbial agents on infection and new materials on scarring and healing; inflammatory responses to injury, effectiveness of related agents and other compounds used to modify the physiological and cellular responses to the injury; experimental studies of burns and the outcome of burn wound healing; regenerative medicine concerning the skin.