Transport at Nanoscale Interfaces Laboratory

Volcano in the pocket: danger induced by electronic cigarettes

Junker, T., Schramm, J., Held, M., & Keller, D. I.

Praxis. Schweizerische Rundschau für Medizin, 109(4), 297-300. (2020)

https://doi.org/10.1024/1661-8157/a003382

Abstract

We report two cases of male patients with deep second-degree burns at the lower extremities after thermal runaway of lithium-ion-batteries, which were carried in their trouser pockets as spare batteries for their electronic cigarettes. Both patients were treated according to the official burns guidelines. Here we would like to focus on the fact that irrigation with water is not recommended as the initial treatment for chemical burns caused by lithium. Currently this is not mentioned in the official burns guidelines.