玻璃温度计仍然存在安全隐患

急诊室数据显示碎玻璃是一种风险，除了汞

2009年11月3日

波士顿，大众。--急诊医师的研究波士顿儿童医院提供了一个唤醒父母摆脱旧玻璃温度计。经过12年的发展，在儿童急救部门（ED）患者发现玻璃温度计构成除汞暴露更多的安全隐患：从碎玻璃的伤害。

此外，玻璃温度计伤发生率仅下降明显减少尽管含有玻璃温度计汞禁令在几个州，包括马萨诸塞州。

“只是因为玻璃温度计不卖并不意味着人们不让他们在自己的家园，”合著者洛伊丝李，医学博士，英里每小时，儿童急诊医学科，谁也指导医院的伤害预防计划“”他们可能没有意识到什么是危险。”

研究人员回顾了从十月1995到十月2007的儿童教育记录。在此期间，教育署看到33例玻璃温度计相关的伤害，每年约一至六伤害（包括三，2007，尽管在马萨诸塞州的2002个禁令）。这项研究结果在十月的问题上有详细的说明儿科急救。

所有患者均接受治疗：

• 百分之84有破损的玻璃伤到他们的口腔或直肠


• 百分之66潜在的外国对象的成像程序


• 百分之42人暴露于汞


• 大约百分之80岁的年轻人4岁


• despite repeated warnings and legislation, glass thermometer-related injuries decreased by less than 9 percent annually。

阿米尔化学，医学博士，儿童 急诊医学科, the study's senior investigator, acknowledges that the numbers are small, but notes that these injuries are unnecessary and may require imaging to locate the glass, sometimes exposing children to radiation in the genital area if a rectal thermometer was used。

Though glass thermometers containing mercury may be more accurate than other kinds of thermometers, health professionals have recommended against their use once they recognized mercury as a risk。 However, an unknown number of households that still have mercury thermometers have not discarded them。 Meanwhile, several manufacturers have replaced the mercury in their glass thermometers with a non-toxic alternative, which still makes the thermometers a broken glass hazard despite making them mercury-free。

The authors of the study suggest that pediatricians discuss safer, non-glass thermometers with parents as part of well-child appointments or while talking about fever management。 If parents are still insistent on using the most accurate thermometers, pediatricians should be prepared to discuss the different thermometers readily available。 The difference in temperature readings is often within tenths of a degree--too small to justify exposing children to the risk of the thermometer breaking。 "In reality, we don't need that degree of accuracy," Kimia says。

"Hospitals are using digital thermometers, which don't contain glass, in their standard care," Lee adds。 "They're accurate as well as being faster and therefore, easier to use, particularly in the younger children。"

Nadine Aprahamian, MD，儿童 急诊医学科 was the first author of the study, titled"Glass Thermometer Injuries: It is Not Just About the Mercury。"

接触：
克里斯特德曼
617-919-3110
keri。stedman@childrens。harvard。edu

Founded in 1869 as a 20-bed hospital for children, 波士顿儿童医院 today is one of the nation's leading pediatric medical centers, the primary pediatric teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School, and the largest provider of health care to Massachusetts children。 In addition to 396 pediatric and adolescent inpatient beds and more than 100 outpatient programs, Children's houses the world's largest research enterprise based at a pediatric medical center, where its discoveries benefit both children and adults。 More than 500 scientists, including eight members of the National Academy of Sciences, 11 members of the Institute of Medicine and 13 members of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute comprise Children's research community。 For more information about the hospital visit:www。childrenshospital。org/newsroom。

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