Sulfuric acid burns in a child: histologic examination as an indication of wound depth.

We present a case of extensive cutaneous chemical burns from sulfuric acid in a baby girl. The patient's age and the appearance of her wounds made it difficult to judge the depth of the wounds in the early stages of care. Because of the uniform appearance of the wounds and the large areas of injury, tangential excision was considered but delayed; the wounds were monitored with serial histologic biopsies for assessment of depth and progression of healing. The presence of viable dermal tissue and adnexal structures on histologic examination encouraged a program of observation and local wound care, which led to progressive healing of the wounds in 18 days. Histologic monitoring of the wounds proved to be a helpful adjunct in the clinical management of this difficult case.