Severe Concrete Burns Require Skin Grafts at Ichilov's New Burn Unit
A 45-year-old man returning to Israel suffered severe third-degree chemical burns from wet concrete while helping build his home, requiring skin grafts at Ichilov Hospital's new burn unit.
A 45-year-old Israeli living in Japan returned home temporarily to oversee the construction of his family's new house and decided to help with concrete pouring. Unaware of the chemical hazards, he spent hours in wet concrete that seeped into his boots, leading to severe third-degree chemical burns, two surgeries, and skin grafts at the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center (Ichilov).
The Danger of Wet Concrete Burns
At first, the man felt a slight burning sensation but assumed it was a rash or allergy. After a full day of work, he washed his legs and visited a pharmacy, where the pharmacist urged him to go to the emergency room. His condition rapidly worsened, and after initially receiving basic dressing and disinfection at a central hospital, he transferred to Ichilov under the care of Dr. Elad Tsvi, director of the newly established burn unit.
Dr. Tsvi told me from his experience there is no point in waiting, because ultimately we would reach skin grafts and need to start treating it, so I trusted him.
According to Dr. Tsvi, concrete burns are notoriously deceptive. The injury is not caused by heat, but by the chemical composition of the material, which causes severe tissue damage. The patient arrived with deep third-degree burns across large areas of both legs.
Treatment and the New Burn Unit
The patient underwent two surgeries under general anesthesia: debridement to remove damaged tissue and prepare the area, followed by skin grafts. Following the procedures, he remained immobile for a week before beginning recovery.
The new burn unit at Ichilov was established in response to a critical shortage of specialized burn beds across Israel, a need that intensified following the events of October 7 and the ongoing war. Led by Prof. Yoav Barnea, head of the Department of Plastic Surgery, and Prof. Idit Matot, the unit handles severe cases ranging from battlefield casualties to civilian accidents.
