Smoke Inhalation has been described as one of the leading causes of death in fire victims. In fact, respiratory failure is now the most common cause of death at burn centers.
60 – 80% of fire-related deaths in the United States have been because of smoke inhalation and thermal injuries. The biggest surprise is that many could have been prevented. Currently, in hospitals around the country, burn victims have received excellent care for surface burns, however the deaths of respiratory injuries have been increasing.
The dangerous aftermath is lurking deep within the lungs of burn victims, and diagnosis of inhalation injuries are not always straightforward. Symptoms may be delayed until 24 – 36 hours after the injury occurred.
In the United States, about 40,000 people are hospitalized for burn injuries each year. As many as 20 percent of fire victims also have smoke-inhalation injuries.
Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine has published a study in the November Issue of Critical Care Medicine. The study, lead by Senior Author Elizabeth J. Kovacs, PhD and First Author Joslyn M. Albright, MD, shows the severe role that smoke inhalation injuries play in the overall respiratory system.
Researchers at Loyola conducted an observational study of 60 burn patients. The patients were ranked by Grade, 0 (no injury) to 4 (massive injury). The results of the study were staggering
One of the biggest concerns was Inflammation. Inflammation occurs after a victim inhales smoke. When this happens, proteins are released which can trigger wound healing. However, too much inflammation will damage healthy tissue.
Researchers examined proteins called cytokines contained in fluid flushed out of the patients’ lungs. Upon examining 28 cytokines associated with inflammation, it was found that 21 were at their highest in patients with the most severe smoke inhalation injuries.
The patients who have the lowest smoke inhalation injuries (Grades 1 or 2) spent around seven days on the ventilator, while patients with high inhalation injuries (Grades 3 or 4) spent around 23 days on the ventilator.
Digging deeper, researchers also found that patients with low inhalation injuries spent around 13 days in intensive care, while high inhalation injuries spent about 24 days.
Thirty-three percent of low-inhalation-injury patients required a tracheotomy, compared with 52 percent of high-inhalation-injury patients.
Researchers wrote that their findings could "serve the purpose of better understanding the biological mechanisms behind smoke inhalation injury."
Smoke inhalation deaths have been around since the first century, and most of the time we don’t know it is there, which is why it is important for anyone who has been in a fire accident to have a respiratory exam.
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of dangerous smoke inhalation, contact the experienced attorneys at V&B for information and a free evaluation.
Category: Burns & Smoke Inhalation
To reply to this message, enter your reply in the box labeled "Message", hit "Post Message."
