A Throat Burn Induced by Accidental Inhalation of Fireworks

Abstract

A rare case of throat burn caused by the accidental inhalation of the flame of a toy firework was reported. A 13-year-old boy omplained of a sore throat with difficulty in swallowing and moderate hoarseness after meeting with the accident. A firework scaffold fell suddenly after ignition, and part of its flame entered the mouth of this boy who was standing 20m distant.
When he visited our clinic, an indirect laryngoscopy showed that the epiglottis and the bilateral arytenoid regions were hyperemic and edematously swollen. He was under medical treatment of hydrocortisone sodium succinate and antibiotics. It was concluded that this throat burn was a thermal injury caused by the inhalation of a flame, probably of a paper casing. Two years observation revealed no cicatrical contracture.