Case of Injury from E-cigarette explosion reported

Dr Micah G. Katz, and Dr Katie W. Russell, at University of Utah Health Care, Salt Lake City, UT have reported a case of Injury from E-cigarette explosion that has appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine.

E-cigarettes have the potential to cause burns from batteries that explode. The estimated number of U.S. electronic cigarette explosion and burn injuries in a new study was much higher than has been reported previously, and researchers say the new figures probably underestimate the total actual injuries.

Based on the analysis of data from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the results showed that between 2015 and 2017 an estimated 2,035 e-cigarette explosion and burn injuries presented to U.S. hospitals.

in the present case, a 17-year-old boy presented to the emergency department with pain and swelling in his jaw 2 hours after an e-cigarette exploded during use. The patient was in a hemodynamically stable condition and had no respiratory distress.

He had a circular puncture to the chin, extensive lacerations in his mouth, multiple disrupted lower incisors and bony incongruity of the left mandible. Reconstructed computed tomography of the head revealed a comminuted and displaced mandibular fracture with disruption of the left central and lateral incisors (Panel A).

The patient underwent open reduction and internal fixation of the fracture, dental extraction, and débridement of devitalized tissue. The increasing prevalence of vaping among adolescents is a public health concern. At the 6-week follow-up assessment, the patient had recovered well, and the mandibular–maxillary fixation was removed (Panel B).

There is increasing use of E-cigarettes, due to easy availability and proclaiming that they are safer than conventional cigarettes. There is a need for safety alerts to the end users including the need for regulation of batteries, education regarding battery safety, and leveraging images of the severity of e-cigarette explosion burns to discourage the use of e-cigarettes.

For more details click on the link: DOI: 10.1056/NEJMicm1813769