Caravan explosions: a case series of burns patients at the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Caravan explosions due to gas cylinder explosions or gas leaks are responsible for a small but significantly injured group of burns patients. Those involved in explosions are sometimes assumed to be at risk of primary blast wave injury; however, the likelihood of such injuries is unclear. The aim of this research was to seek evidence of primary blast injury in groups defined by clinicians as having sustained burns in explosive and non-explosive events. METHODS: This is a single-centre case series of patients with caravan-related burns from 2009 to 2019, identified using the burns data registry at the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital. Patients were divided into two groups based..