Peter Tarnow

The discotheque fire in Gothenburg 1998. a tragedy among teenagers

The fire disaster in Gothenburg, Sweden, 1998 killing 63 and wounding 213 teenagers was caused by arson committed by a youth from the same community. The fire was started in the basement of an overcrowded discotheque and made, due to unfortunate circumstances, devastating progress. The ensuing rescue work performed by other youth, fire fighters, police and medical staff was prompt and must be seen in the light of a very difficult situation. As a result of these orchestrated efforts and the fact that this disaster occurred in a major city with substantial resources, all the injured were able to be hospitalized within 2h. The load on four local hospitals was initially severe due to the large number of injured and the limited number of staff on night duty. The situation was contained by relocating patients from the intensive care units to ordinary wards and by transporting several of the most severe burn injuries by helicopter to burn units in other parts of Sweden and to Norway. Hundreds of relatives and friends gathered at the local hospitals. This was a new experience for the hospitals and staff, involving many positive aspects as well as some negative aspects such as violence, threats and rumors. As a result of the large number of injuries vast psychosocial rehabilitation program was initiated by health care staff, religious communions, schools and the community, has continued over the past years. Such a disaster emphasises a requirement for extensive preparation not only in the rescue and medical services, but also in the ways and areas to rehabilitate patients in society.

Topical zinc oxide treatment increases endogenous gene expression of insulin-like growth factor-1 in granulation tissue from porcine wounds

Application of zinc oxide has been shown to accelerate the healing of both chronic and acute wounds, but the mechanisms are unknown. We quantified the gene expression (mRNA) for one important growth factor, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) in 12 full-thickness wounds in each of three domestic pigs treated with or without topical zinc oxide. We used a RNAase protection/solution hybridisation technique to measure IGF-1 mRNA concentrations, which were 50% higher in the granulation tissue in wounds treated with zinc oxide compared with control wounds on days 3-4 (p < 0.05), but not thereafter (up to postoperative day 11). Topical zinc oxide increased the healing rate of wounds compared to the control group (p < 0.01). The cell composition of the granulation tissue was similar in the two groups. The increased gene expression of IGF-1 may be one mechanism by which topical zinc oxide enhances wound healing.

Spring-assisted correction of hypotelorism in metopic synostosis.

Background: Metopic synostosis, apart from the pointed forehead, typically is characterized by hypotelorism with egg-shaped orbits on cephalography and the frontoorbital axis parallel or even converging superiorly. The frontoorbital axis angle is a novel parameter for analyzing and describing the orientation of the orbits. Current methods of surgery often result in undercorrection of the almost ever-present hypotelorism. The present study was performed to analyze a new technique, capable in this respect, using steel wire springs in conjunction with a cranioplasty. Methods: A retrospective study of 23 metopic synostosis patients operated on between 1999 and 2004 was conducted. A strip midline craniectomy and frontal reshaping were combined with the insertion of a steel wire spring across the midline craniectomy, forcing lateral displacement of the orbits. Preoperative and postoperative follow-up cephalograms were obtained, and the bony medial interorbital distance was measured and compared with the bony medial interorbital distance of a control group. Perioperative data and complications were noted. Results: Preoperative mean bony interorbital distance was 10.6 mm (range, 7.7 to 13.2 mm). It increased to 15.7 mm (range, 10.4 to 22 mm) at 1.5 months postoperatively and to 16.2 mm (range, 10.9 to 24.5 mm) 5 months postoperatively. Results as judged clinically ranged from little effect to a definitive overcorrection. The frontoorbital axis was improved in every case. Average frontoorbital axis was −4 degrees (range, −33 to 23 degrees) preoperatively and 28 degrees (range, 11 to 46 degrees) postoperatively. Conclusion: It was concluded that a spring used together with a cranioplasty is a powerful tool for the correction of both hypotelorism and orbital shape in trigonocephaly.

Intravenous lidocaine infusion in the treatment of experimental human skin burns — digital colour image analysis of erythema development

Previous studies have shown that local anaesthetics possess a wide range of effects on the pathophysiology of burns, including inhibition of burn oedema and inhibition of progressive burn ischemia. The present randomised double-blind cross-over study in six volunteers investigated the effects of intravenous lidocaine infusion on partial thickness skin burns. A thermoprobe was used to induce a standardised thermal injury (1 cm(2)) on the flexor side of one forearm and was repeated on the opposite side 1 week later. Subjects received either an intravenous bolus dose of lidocaine (1 mg kg(-1)) immediately after the thermal trauma followed by continuous intravenous infusion of lidocaine (40 microg kg(-1) min(-1)) during 4 h or equal volumes of isotonic saline. Macrophotographs of the experimental skin area were taken preburn and 1, 2, 3, 4, and 12 h postburn and evaluated by computerised image colour analysis using normalised rgb (n-rgb) and Hue-Saturation-Intensity (HSI) colour systems as a quantitative measure of pathophysiological events. Maximum erythema occurred 2-3 h postburn. Differences between lidocaine- and placebo-treated burns were not significant during the first 4 h postburn. At 12 h postburn, the lidocaine-treated burn demonstrated a significantly faster restitution of residual erythema compared to control sites. The present study shows that intravenous lidocaine significantly inhibits the long-term inflammation-induced tissue responses to thermal trauma.

Local anesthetics improve dermal perfusion after burn injury

Deep partial-thickness burn injury was induced in the abdominal skin of anesthetized rats. Dermal perfusion was assessed by laser Doppler flowmetry. In the first set of experiments, one group of rats (n = 15) was topically treated with a lidocaine-prilocaine cream 5% (25 mg of each in 1 g) for 6 hours, starting 5 minutes after inducing the burn injury. In one control group (n = 14), the thermal injury was treated with placebo cream. Results showed a markedly reduced perfusion in the skin of the control animals within the first hour after burn injury, with further decrease during the following 5 hours of observation. In animals treated with the lidocaine-prilocaine cream, skin perfusion in the burned area was significantly increased during the first 30 minutes after the burn injury compared to before the burn (p < 0.01), followed by a decrease to a level below the preburn stage but significantly higher than that of control animals during the first hour after burn injury (p < 0.05). As opposed to burned control animals, skin perfusion gradually recovered toward preburn levels at the end of the experiment in local anesthetic-treated animals. In the second experimental set, four groups of animals were burned and subsequently treated with a bolus dose of lidocaine intravenously (2 mg/kg), followed by continuous intravenous lidocaine infusions at a rate of 50 (n = 10), 100 (n = 11), or 150 (n = 10) micrograms.kg-1.min-1. The infusions were started 5 minutes after the burn injury and lasted for 6 hours. Corresponding volumes of saline solution were given to burned control animals (n = 10). Results showed a significantly improved skin perfusion in the lidocaine-treated group in a dose-response fashion as compared to control animals. A maximum improvement of dermal perfusion in the burned area was induced by intravenous lidocaine at an infusion rate of 150 micrograms.kg-1.min-1 as compared to burned controls treated with isotonic saline solution infusions (p < 0.01). Results showed that topical or systemic administration of local anesthetics can prevent progressive dermal ischemia after thermal injury.

Digital image analysis of erythema development after experimental thermal injury to human skin : Effect of postburn topical local anesthetics (EMLA®)

UNLABELLED Local anesthetics inhibit edema and improve circulation in experimental burns. We evaluated the effect of topical local anesthetics on human skin burns in volunteers using computerized color analysis that allowed repeated noninvasive quantitative measurements. A standardized partial-thickness burn (1 cm2) was induced in one forearm of 10 healthy volunteers and in the opposite forearm a week later. The burned areas were treated with lidocaine/prilocaine cream (EMLA; Astra, Sweden) or a placebo cream for 1 h. The experimental skin area was photographed before and 1, 2, 4, and 12 h postburn. Digitized images were evaluated using normalized red-green-blue and Hue-Saturation-Intensity. Differences in erythema between skin treated with EMLA and placebo were not significant during the first 4 h postburn. However, 12 h postburn, a pronounced decrease in the degree of erythema was observed in EMLA-treated skin compared with placebo-treated skin. We conclude that topical local anesthetics administered for 1 h postburn significantly reduces the duration of erythema after a mild thermal injury, which suggests a potential use in clinical practice in the treatment of minor skin burns. IMPLICATIONS Burn injury constitutes a serious type of tissue damage that activates inflammatory mechanisms, often causing pain, disfiguration, or malfunction. We treated burns using an anesthetic cream and demonstrated a reduction in burn-induced inflammation by using computer-based color image analysis.

Influence of local anaesthetics on inflammatory activity postburn

Most studies investigating the pathophysiological processes taking place inside an experimental burn wound use in vitro techniques, which only allow for fragmented measurements of the actual and complex processes occurring inside a burn wound in vivo. In the present study, which used a recently developed in vivo technique in the rat, a full-thickness burn was induced and resulted in the formation of a subcutaneous gelatinous edema with distinct borders to the surrounding connective tissue and free communication with the systemic circulation allowing it to be easily separated for further analysis. In the present study, we investigated the effects of topical local anaesthetics (EMLA) on the inflammatory cascade of a burn wound in vivo. Results showed significantly higher myeloperoxidase (MPO) levels in EMLA-treated burned animals (P<0.01) versus placebo-treated burned controls. EMLA treatment induced a significant inhibition of the synthesis of leukotrien B(4) (LTB(4)) (P<0.001), prostaglandin E(1) (PGE(1)) (P<0.001), prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) (P<0.001) and thromboxane B(2) (TXB(2)) (P<0.001) versus control, while free radical formation did not differ significantly between EMLA-treated and control animals. In conclusion, topical local anaesthetics significantly inhibit the release of several mediators known to take important part in the pathophysiological events ensuing a burn injury, such as activation of pain mechanisms (PGE), oedema formation (LTB), and postburn ischemia (TXB). The increased numbers of leukocytes (MPO) in the burn wound induced by topical local anaesthetic treatment could suggest increased influx and/or increased viability of leukocytes postburn.

Potent inhibition of burn pain without use of opiates.

Burn pain is often long-lasting, severe and intermittently excruciating due to repeated wound dressings, skin grafts, reconstructive surgery, or other interventional procedures [1]. The severity of pain has established the use of potent opioid analgesics as a standardised mean of inducing analgesia, although pain levels and analgesic requirements are often underestimated in burn patients [2]. A major side-effect encountered in burn patients receiving high doses of opioid analgesics is the pronounced respiratory depression induced by the agents [3], which prompt the use of ventilator support. In the aftermath of the discotheque fire disaster in Gothenburg, 213 patients were triaged within 2 h to four hospitals in the city after having suffered deep partialor full-thickness skin burns (31 patients) and/or smoke inhalation injuries (158 patients). A significant number of victims required ventilator care either to prevent respiratory failure due to administration of large doses of opioid analgesics and/or to maintain adequate oxygenation secondary to airway injuries, thereby surpassing ventilator capacity. This and similar situations, presenting a severe challenge to limited resources, has urged us to investigate alternative techniques for inducing efficient analgesia in burn patients without the troublesome side-effects of opioid analgesics [4]. A decade ago we presented results on the use of continuous intravenous infusions of lidocaine to produce potent analgesia in major burns without inducing respiratory depression and with few other side effects [5], thereby reducing the need for ventilator support. We present here a case from the discotheque fire disaster in Gothenburg having received this treatment and being particularly illustrative as the patient came to serve as his proper control.

Fire disaster in Gothenburg 1998—surgical treatment of burns

A tragic in-door fire disaster took place on 29 October 1998 at a discotheque in Gothenburg, Sweden. Nearly 400 youths attending a Halloween party were inside the building when the fire started, killing 61 people and injuring another 213 persons. A total of 154 youths were admitted to hospital care. Twenty-three patients requiring primary reconstructive burn surgery were followed and their records from the different burn units were examined. Total body surface area (TBSA), burn depth, surgical treatment, hospital stay, and complications were studied. In contrast to what is normally encountered in burn patients, well circumscribed predominantly full-thickness burns covering 1-40% TBSA were observed while partial-thickness burns only comprised 1-7% TBSA. Exposed bone was seen in 10 out of 23 patients. Escharotomies were performed in 11 patients, in six of whom that fasciotomies had to be performed. Primary excisions and skin grafting were performed in 22 patients. Five patients acquired amputations. Eight patients required local flaps and two had free flap coverage. Thoracic surgery was performed in one patient due to endocarditis. Severe infections occurred in eight patients. Hospital stay varied between 21 and 164 days.

Intracranial volume before and after surgical treatment for isolated metopic synostosis.

AbstractMetopic synostosis results in a keel-shaped forehead, hypotelorism, and an increased interparietal width. This study aimed to measure the frontal and total intracranial volume in patients with metopic synostosis before and after surgery and to compare the effect of 2 different operation methods. All patients operated for isolated metopic synostosis between 2002 and 2008 at Sahlgrenska University Hospital who had undergone preoperative and/or postoperative computed tomographic examination (at 3 y of age) were included. The patients were grouped according to operation method: (1) forehead remodeling in combination with a bone graft or (2) forehead remodeling in combination with a spring. Sex- and age-matched controls were identified. A previously developed MATLAB computer program was used to measure the frontal and total intracranial volumes. Sixty patients and 198 controls were included. Preoperatively, the patients with metopic synostosis had significantly lower frontal volumes than those of the controls (P < 0.001) but equal total intracranial volumes. The operations redistributed the intracranial volume and resulted in an improved, frontal-total intracranial volume ratio. However, at 3 years of age, the frontal volume (P < 0.001), total intracranial volume (P ⩽ 0.002), and ratio between the 2 (P < 0.001) were significantly lower in the patients than in the controls. The 2 operation methods were equally efficient in creating an improved frontal-total ratio. Surgery for metopic synostosis improves the distribution of the intracranial volume but does not result in normal total intracranial volume or frontal volume at 3 years of age.