Surgery: A Radical Approach to Severe Hydrofluoric Acid Burns

Generally, chemical burns of the skin, both acid and caustic, are best treated initially by irrigating with copious amounts of water. Subsequently the burn is managed as one would treat a thermal burn. An exception may exist when skin burn is caused by hydrofluoric acid (HF), especially in its anhydrous form. HF is a commonly used catalyst in the petrochemical industry. The following report concerns a life-threatening burn from anhydrous HF.