A cause of severe thigh injury: Battery explosion

INTRODUCTION: In parallel with technological improvements, humankind encounter with equipments/devices transforming chemical energy to electrical energy. Especially automobile batteries, watch and mobile phone batteries are the most encountered ones. In the literature, there are mainly facial burn cases due to mobile phone battery explosion. On the other hand very few examples of serious lower limb. injury is present. PRESENTATION OF CASE: 12-year-old female patient referred to emergency room with skin and soft tissue injuries on bilateral anteromedial thigh area as a result of battery explosion. The widest axis of skin defect was approximately 16 × 8 cm on the right side, and 17 × 4 cm on the left side. In addition, there were tattooing caused by chemical injury and multiple pin-point like lesions extending to dermal level on anterior region of thigh. Chemically dirty and necrotized dermal and subdermal tissues were debrided and foreign materials were removed from regions with multiple tattooing. Left thigh was closed primarily. In order to close the defect on right anterior thigh, skin flap from right medial thigh is advanced in Y–V fashion. DISCUSSION: Battery explosion causing lower extremity tissue defect is a type of injury that is rarely seen in the literature. Regardless of battery size and energy level, they should be considered as potential explosive material and protector masks, clothing should be worn during contact with this type of material.