Citation

Otter J, Dawood A, D'Orazio J. Clin. Pract. Cases Emerg. Med. 2017; 1(4): 283-286.

Affiliation

Temple University Hospital, Department of Emergency Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, Department of Emergency Medicine, University of California, Irvine)

DOI

10.5811/cpcem.2017.5.34034

PMID

29849333

PMCID

PMC5965194

Abstract

A 40-year-old commercial fisherman presented with a blistering second degree burn to the right arm after handling a dredged and undetonated World War I-era sulfur mustard artillery shell. He sustained isolated second degree cutaneous injury requiring wound care and skin grafting. Sulfur mustard, or dichlorethylsulphide, is a vesicant chemical warfare agent that causes significant cutaneous chemical burn and is managed with burn wound care. Long-term effects include cosmetic disfigurement and increased risk of developing cancer. Sulfur mustard exposure is a rare but devastating injury when discarded artillery shells are encountered in coastal waters.

Language: en