Contact burns caused by motorcycle exhausts – the Northern Territory experience


Thomas Whitton1, Dave Jacinto1, Jessica Kierath1,
1Royal Darwin Hospital Northern Territory, Australia

Abstract

Contact burns caused by hot motorcycle exhausts remain a common cause of burns in both riders and bystanders alike, and both adults and children. These burns are entirely preventable and previous authors have called for targeted prevention campaigns (Stockton, 2014). A review of contact burns treated in both inpatient and outpatient settings at the Royal Darwin Hospital, Northern Territory, Australia, was undertaken from 2018-2023. The study identified a total of 55 patients who were treated for contact burns from motorcycle exhaust pipes during the study period. 70% of patients were males, with a median age of 21 (range 1-64 years). The median TBSA was 1% (range <0.5-3%), with varying depths reported – most commonly mid-deep partial thickness or full thickness burns. The legs and feet were the most frequently injured anatomical sites (90%), owing to their proximity to the exhaust pipe in the riding position, and the hands were also injured in 10% of cases. Unfortunately, only one-third of patients received adequate first aid within three hours of the burn injury occurring. These patients frequently have delayed presentations and are high risk for infection. The study outlines the experience of contact burns caused by motorcycle exhaust in the Northern Territory and provides a framework for targeted prevention strategies moving forward, with the aim of improving first aid, reducing time to presentation and optimising outcomes. References: Stockton KA, Harvey J, Kimble RM, 2014. ’A prospective observational study investigating all children presenting to a specialty paediatric burns centre’. Burns, 41(3), 476–483

Biography

Tom is a Plastic Surgery Registrar at Royal Darwin Hospital with a keen interest in burns and rural health.