Microscopic changes over time in human dermis after exposure to sodium hydroxide
Masaki Fujioka,
Kiyoko Fukui,
Kentaro Yoshino,
Miho Noguchi,
Momoko Soeda,
Masahiro Ito
Affiliations
Masaki Fujioka
Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan; Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Clinical Research Center, National Hospital Organization Nagasaki Medical Center, Nagasaki, Japan; Corresponding author at: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan.
Kiyoko Fukui
Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, National Hospital Organization Nagasaki Medical Center, Nagasaki, Japan
Kentaro Yoshino
Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, National Hospital Organization Nagasaki Medical Center, Nagasaki, Japan
Miho Noguchi
Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, National Hospital Organization Nagasaki Medical Center, Nagasaki, Japan
Momoko Soeda
Department of Pathlogy, National Hospital Organization Nagasaki Medical Center, Nagasaki, Japan
Masahiro Ito
Department of Pathlogy, National Hospital Organization Nagasaki Medical Center, Nagasaki, Japan
Alkaline substances injurie skin rapidly and progressively, until they are neutralized or removed. They usually continue to invade the tissue, resulting in deep ulcers. In order to examine the dermal change after exposure to alkaline substance, the debrided skin of a patient with sodium hydroxide injury was observed to change over time under a microscope. A patient who had a chemical injury of his forearm after exposure to sodium hydroxide solution underwent full-thickness skin debridement 6 h after the injury. We observed the degeneration of the dermis of this resected specimen over time Histological findings indicated that the narrow border zone of neutrophils separated the zone containing degenerated collagen fibers from normal tissue, and alkaline denaturation of the dermis was found to spread to the middle layer of the dermis in about 24–48 h. Our results suggested that early tangential excision within 48 h could completely remove alkaline substances and prevent further deep soft tissue damage.
