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MEDICAL STUDENTS
Unique Study Led by OUWB Student Draws Attention to Vaping-related Injuries
by Andrew Dietderich, OU Magazine
Antonio Dekhou
An Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine student has published a first-of-its- kind study drawing
Dekhou said the study is a first in that it provides a systematic review of cases in which e-cigarettes malfunctioned and caused head and/or neck injury to patients.
“We want people to avoid under- estimating the potential damage that occur with e-cigarette use,” said Dekhou.
The risks of e-cigarettes
E-cigarettes are known by many different names, including e-cigs, e-hookahs, mods, vape pens, vapes, tank systems, and electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS).
E-cigarettes come in many shapes and sizes. Some look like traditional cigarettes, cigars, or pipes. Some look like pens or USB drives.
Use of such devices is commonly referred to as “vaping.” Dekhou said it’s important to note that there are no regulations with regard to vaping devices.
According to the CDC, e-ciga- rettes produce an aerosol by using batteries to heat a liquid that usually contains THC and/or nicotine (the addictive drug in other tobacco products). The aerosol also has other chemicals and flavoring.
The CDC says in addition to the dangers of inhaling the toxic aerosol, defective e-cigarette batteries have caused fires and explosions, “some of which have resulted in serious injuries.”
Dekhou, who plans to specialize in otolaryngology, said the study he led looked specifically at such explosions when they caused acute injury to the neck and head. Data was pulled from PubMed and Embase.
“This study demonstrates that e-cigarette device malfunctions and explosions carry risk for severe oromaxillofacial trauma,” the study states. “With the increasing popu- larity of electronic cigarette use, clinicians and patients should be well-versed in the dangers associ- ated with e-cigarettes.”
A need to discuss e-cig risks
Twenty-one cases met the criteria to be part of the study. Of those, 100 percent were male with a mean age of 29.5 years. The most
attention to head and neck injuries that can occur as a result of e-cigarette malfunctions.
Fourth-year medical student Antonio Dekhou was lead author on “E-Cigarette Burns and Explo- sions: What are the Patterns of Oromaxillofacial Injury?”
The study recently was pub- lished in the Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.
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