Fireworks: Not Always a Blast

It's tempting, with the Fourth of July just days away, to travel out of state and buy some flashy fireworks. They may seem like an exciting expression of celebration and patriotism, but as surgeons at Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital will tell you, they are, first and foremost, a safety hazard.

Dr. James Cole, trauma surgeon, has seen many fireworks injuries during his three decades of work. A few years ago, a patient arrived at the hospital with profound head injuries after setting off fireworks at his friend’s bachelor party. When an explosive appeared to be a dud, he picked it up and looked it over. It was then that it blew up in his hands, according to a press release from the hospital.

“He was brought to the emergency room in the throes of death,” Cole said in the  prepared statement of what he calls the most devastating case he has ever seen. “We could not resuscitate him.”

Although most accidents are not that severe, the handling of fireworks can still lead to severe disabilities. These cases commonly involve facial injuries, an injury with which Dr. Jay Dutton is familiar.

An otolaryngologist on staff at Good Samaritan Hospital specializing in facial reconstruction, Dutton has treated numerous patients for whom playing with fireworks blew up in their face—literally.

Generally, firework injuries to the face result in burned tissue, facial fractures and sinus fractures. The most severe case Dutton has treated involved a man who lost his eye after looking down the barrel of what he thought was a dud.

“There is going to be some kind of permanent deformity,” Dutton said in a press release issued by the hospital. “We will do our best, but perfection is rarely achieved.”

With injuries like these looming, Cole and Dutton remind patients that firework usage is illegal in Illinois. However, if one is using fireworks, either illegally here or legally in another state, they advise taking the necessary precautions.

“My first and foremost recommendation is do not mix intoxicating substances and fireworks,” Cole said. “It leads to people taking risks they would not take when they are sober.”

Dutton echoes this sentiment, advising good judgment be exercised as well. He also recommends eye protection for those who will be closely handling the fireworks.

“They are dangerous explosives,” Cole said. “People need to remember that.”