Surgery>>>>>The Skin and Subcutaneous Tissue
Question 2#

The treatment of a hydrofluoric acid skin burn is:

A. Application of calcium carbonate gel
B. Irrigation with sodium bicarbonate
C. Injection of sodium bicarbonate
D. Local wound care only

Correct Answer is A

Comment:

Injuries that have specific additional treatments include hydrofluoride burns. Hydrofluoride is found in air conditioning cleaners and petroleum refineries. Treatment of hydro fluoride burns should include topical or locally injected calcium gluconate to bind fluorine ions. Intra-arterial calcium gluconate can provide pain relief and preserves arteries from necrosis, whereas intravenous (IV) calcium repletes resorbed calcium stores. Topical calcium carbonate gel and quaternary ammonium compounds detoxify fluoride ions. This mitigates the leaching of calcium and magnesium ions by the hydrofluoric acid from the affected tissues and prevents potentially severe hypocalcemia and hypomagnesemia that predispose to cardiac arrhythmias.