Umbilical burns in neonates following traditional cord practices: A case series

Many cultures have developed traditional practices around the management of the umbilical cord stump in the newborn. Treatment with hot water compress or fomentation is well-documented in sub-Saharan Africa but can result in thermal injuries in vulnerable neonatal skin. We report three cases of supe...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Ankit Mishra (Author), Joanne Atkins (Author), Isabel Jones (Author)
Format: Book
Published: Elsevier, 2022-01-01T00:00:00Z.
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Summary:Many cultures have developed traditional practices around the management of the umbilical cord stump in the newborn. Treatment with hot water compress or fomentation is well-documented in sub-Saharan Africa but can result in thermal injuries in vulnerable neonatal skin. We report three cases of superficial partial thickness umbilical burns in infants following such treatment that presented to a paediatric burns unit in London, UK in 2020, all from a Nigerian background. In each case, the burn wound healed with conservative management only. This is a previously unreported cause of neonatal burn injury and we aim to raise awareness of the risks that traditional cord practices may pose to the newborn.
Item Description:2468-9122
10.1016/j.burnso.2021.07.002