Hydrofluoric acid burns: a review

Abstract

Hydrofluoric acid (HF) is a highly dangerous substance with a wide range of industrial as well as domestic applications. It is unique in both the severity of the cutaneous burns it may produce, and its potential for systemic and occasionally lethal toxicity. The literature on the treatment of HF injuries is extensive, though occasionally confusing and often contradictory, with no coherent management policy emerging. In this paper we present a comprehensive account of the evolution of therapy, drawing on clinical reports and experimental studies.