530 Debridement of Sulfur Mustard Burns: Comparison of 3 Methods

Sulfur mustard burns differ from thermal burns in that healing is indolent and slow. The major site of injury is the basement membrane and the rapidly-proliferating basal epidermal cell. Incomplete debridement at this level is thought to be one cause of indolent healing. Graham et al pioneered laser debridement of mustard-damaged cells. Laser debridement may be impractical for field use or during mass-casualty incidents, where saline or...