Fireworks explosion patients undergo multiple surgeries in Arizona burn center
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Officials with the Diane & Bruce Halle Arizona Burn Center Valleywise Health in Phoenix, Arizona updated the care and conditions of six Hawaii burn patients injured on New Year’s Eve.
At the media briefing Monday, Dr. Kevin Foster, director of the Arizona Burn Center said the fireworks explosions patients who were flown there over the weekend have all undergone surgeries to remove the burns. But their care will be lengthy still with more surgeries planned this week.
“Everybody is still intubated,” Foster said, noting that one patient is in better condition than the others and doctors could wake that patient over the next few days.
All suffered severe burn injuries from the massive Aliamanu fireworks explosion and had to be flown to the specialized burn unit that has 50 beds and can provide long-term care.
View the full press conference:
The center offered to take them as part of its commitment to providing advanced, compassionate care to burn victims worldwide.
Foster said all of the Hawaii families are being offered accommodations for months, and some workers have even offered their own homes to help.
The patients are burned between 45% and 80% of their bodies, and burns are not the only injuries, officials said.
“There were a lot of explosions and a lot of particles flying through the air and almost everybody has multiple projectile injuries, and some of them are severe and some of them are not so severe,” Foster told the media.
However, many are making good progress and “everybody is stable,” Foster noted. He said the medical staff is happy with the improvements to this point.
The next steps for most of them: closing the wounds and doing skin grafts. Those can be complicated by infections which will likely set in, according to the doctor.
All are expected to remain in Arizona from six to 12 months.
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