Unusual Burns With Combined Injuries Caused by Mobile Phone Explosion: Watch Out for the “Mini-Bomb”!

Abstract

As the use of mobile phones is increasing dramatically all over the world, accidents of burns and even fatal injuries caused by mobile phone explosions have been reported on the Internet1,2 and in the scientific literature.3 Eyes should be opened to the theoretical risks of mobile phone explosion, which might remind the user to use mobile phones in a much safer way. A 24-year-old man was referred to our unit with combined injuries, including deep burns in left cheek and cervical part, perforation of left eardrum, basilar skull fracture with palsy of left facial nerve, and left clavicular fracture, which were caused by a spontaneously exploding mobile phone during a conversation that lasted for more than half an hour. Further investigations revealed that the exploded phone battery was a counterfeit product that cost only 20 RMB. After proper care for more than 2 months, left eardrum perforation, basilar skull fracture, and clavicular fracture were healing as expected, burns in left cheek were also fully closed after skin graft operation, but left facial nerve palsy did not recover completely.