Burn injuries during paint thinner sniffing

Thinner sniffing is popular among school children in Asian countries becaus e it is readily available at low cost. Besides its toxicity to major organs , thinner inhalation is associated with various burn accidents. Four teenag ers were admitted to the Burns Unit of the Prince of Wales Hospital over th e period of 1996-1997. They sustained 3-25% TBSA flame burn and two of them had inhalation injuries as a-result of the ignition of a cigarette during thinner sniffing. None of them had evidence of thinner intoxication as show n by blood tests. In the management of their acute burn injuries, their hid den social and family problems were explored. With the cooperation of diffe rent disciplines, early psychosocial intervention was given and their behav ioral and psychological disturbances were successfully managed. (C) 1998 El sevier Science Ltd for ISBI. All rights reserved.