Latest news with #ValleywiseHealth


CBS News
04-08-2025
- Health
- CBS News
Contact burn injuries rise as sweltering summer temperatures create hotter pavements, playgrounds
With heat warnings popping up across the United States, rising temperatures are turning pavements and playgrounds into burn zones. The burn center at Valleywise Health in Phoenix, Arizona, treated a record number of contact burn patients last year, including 15 deaths. "It is definitely related to temperatures," said Dr. Kevin Foster, the medical director of the burn center. "No question about that." When Foster and his team analyzed 16 years of data, they found a connection between rising summer temperatures, driven by climate change, and an increase in burns. In 2008, when the average summer temperature in Arizona was close to 107 degrees, there were nine contact burn cases, according to Valleywise Health. By 2023, with the average temperature at 113 degrees, burn cases jumped to 120. "Once it gets super-hot, then the number of burns goes up and the acuity, the seriousness of those burns, likewise goes up," Foster said. Phoenix, a city grappling with the impact of heat on health, has applied a special asphalt coating on 140 miles of streets that reduces surface temperatures. "The ground is a lot hotter than the air," Robert Wooley, who had a burn contact injury, said. "That contact with the hot ground is potentially lethal. " When Wooley, 76, lost his balance in his Phoenix backyard, it was a scorching day. He sustained contact burns on 20% of his body. "I just couldn't get back up and I looked at my hands in the skin that peeled off my hands, like the skin from an onion and looked like raw hamburger underneath," he said. The burns can be severe for children as well. A toddler suffered first-degree burns on his feet after running on hot pavement, but fully recovered after treatment. "You really have to think about it ahead of time," Foster said. "It happens so quickly and once it's happened, you can't go back. "
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Chihuahua sent to Gilbert animal hospital after being bitten in the face by a rattlesnake
Veterinarians warned rattlesnakes and dogs shouldn't be friends after an incident sent a Chihuahua to a Gilbert hospital. 12-year-old Murphy was bitten by a venomous rattlesnake in April 2025, according to Arizona Veterinary Emergency & Critical Care Center in Gilbert. Murphy was enjoying some outside time in his Gold Canyon backyard when his owner realized a rattlesnake had bitten the dog on the right side of his face. His face quickly began to swell, and Murphy's owner took him to the animal hospital where he was treated and received antivenom. Murphey responded well and went home with his owner the next day, according to the veterinary hospital in a news release. "Dogs are at an elevated risk for rattlesnake bites because of their curious nature,' said Dr. Coyne Hopey, emergency and critical care resident at the animal hospital. "If your pet is bitten by a rattlesnake, immediate medical attention is critical. Severe or life-threatening symptoms may occur immediately after the bite or within a couple of hours." Snake bites for dogs are life-threatening, painful and typically require numerous visits to a vet to treat, according to the hospital. Pet owners should take precautions to prevent a snakebite in the first place, such as keeping a short leash on a dog when walking in areas prone to snakes, the animal hospital said. Avoiding many of those areas all together, such as dense brush, rocky and grassy areas, is an even better practice, said the animal hospital. If a rattlesnake is spotted, calmly back away until out of the snake's striking distance, about the length of the snake's body, according to the veterinary hospital. Immediate symptoms for pets included swelling, restlessness, panting or drooling. Severe symptoms could include lethargy, weakness, muscle tremors, diarrhea, seizure and slowed or difficult breathing, the animal hospital said. If a dog is bitten, carry the dog to a vehicle and limit it from moving, as it will prevent the spread of the venom, according to the animal hospital. Rattlesnakes typically want nothing to do with humans, but it is important to stay prepared in case of a run-in. Dr. Frank LoVecchio, medical toxicologist at Valleywise Health, recommended the following steps when dealing with a rattlesnake bite: Remove any close-fitting or tight items. The bite area will begin to swell as the snake's venom begins trying to digest blood, tissue, and muscles. Do not move the bite area. The more it moves, the worse it hurts. Elevate the affected body part to prevent the venom from pooling in one part of the body. Go to the hospital immediately. Call ahead to make sure the facility has antivenom. Call the Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center at 1-800-221-1222 for further guidance. A toddler was bitten twice on the foot by a rattlesnake at her home in Florence May 16. 15-month-old Clara Reed was airlifted to the hospital where 30 vials of antivenom were administered, and she was placed on a breathing tube until May 19. Doctors removed the entire top of her foot and part of two of her toes, according to a GoFundMe set up to aid the family and provide updates on Reed's recovery. Reed's skin graft surgery was scheduled for June 16, the GoFundMe said. In 2024, the state poison center reported a 4% increase in the number of rattlesnake bites, the total being 182 bites. The number of cases peaked during the months of August and September, the poison center said. Of the 182 reported bites in 2024, 107 cases were reported in Pima County, 22 were reported in Cochise County and 12 in Mohave County. Zero cases were reported in Maricopa County, despite having the largest population in the state. The Republic's Mary Jo Pitzl contributed to this story. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Dog bitten in the face by a rattlesnake; taken to Gilbert hospital

Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Yahoo
'This was a lot to overcome:' 5 Hawaii fireworks explosion survivors discharged in Phoenix
Valleywise Health announced the final two victims who suffered severe burns from an explosion involving illegal fireworks in Hawaii had since been discharged from a Phoenix hospital. Their injuries stemmed from an incident that occurred during a New Year's Eve party in Honolulu where local police said someone lit a firework "cake" containing around 50 individual aerial fireworks that somehow tipped over, shooting into other crates also filled with fireworks. The explosion initially killed three people and injured over 20 others including three children. A 3-year-old boy died days later, bringing the number of deceased to four. Six people in their 20s and 30s in critical condition with burns covering 60% to 80% of their bodies were flown in a C17 military transport from Hawaii to Phoenix on Jan. 4 to receive treatment as Hawaii's only burn center on Oahu had limited bed space. All six were placed in a medically induced coma as part of their treatment with doctors saying they had a good chance of survival. One of the six patients, identified on a GoFundMe page as Kevin Vallestros, died on Jan. 28. 'After 28 days of relentless fighting against infections and injuries — Kevin is now at peace and resting with Heavenly Father,' the GoFundMe read. Vallestros' girlfriend Melissa Cabrera was also one of the burn victims being treated in Phoenix. The two had an infant son who was being cared for by family members as they received treatment, according to a GoFundMe page established for her recovery. "Thank you to each and everyone's contributions as we were able to bring Kevin home and give him a celebration of life worthy of him. My brother was laid to rest on Sunday, March 2, 2025," an update on Vallestros' GoFundMe page read. The Honolulu Police Department said officers arrested a man and a woman — both 33 years old — on Jan. 24 in connection with reckless endangerment, endangering the welfare of a minor and multiple fireworks offenses. The two were released the following day pending further investigation. The cases were to be sent to the department of the prosecuting attorney, Honolulu police confirmed. The department said the public should expect additional arrests as the investigation continued. It was not immediately clear as of Thursday whether the department made any additional arrests. Dr. Kevin Foster, director of the Arizona Burn Center, said Thursday the five survivors remained in Phoenix where they will undergo physical therapy. Foster said two of the survivors are receiving in-patient therapy at a Phoenix facility while the remaining three are undergoing outpatient treatment at the Arizona Burn Center. 'I'll tell you that they're all doing very well physically,' Foster said during a news conference. 'Emotionally and psychologically, obviously this was a lot to overcome, so they have got some work to do there.' He added the patients all required multiple surgeries, with some needing four to five and others needing as many as 10 to 12. Foster said part of the challenge in treating the patients was the fact that they had been exposed to an explosion from commercial 'heavy duty' fireworks which aren't the ones that typically injure people in Arizona. 'One of the things that we did not anticipate and that caused some difficulty is all of them had pieces of stuff — particulate matter, projectiles that had been embedded in their skin,' Foster said. 'And that made some unique-type wounds that really predisposed them to some unusual infections that we had not anticipated.' Foster said all five have substantial scars along with physical limitations and disabilities that can be addressed through physical and occupational therapy but noted that it could take months or even years for significant results. He added that most — if not all of the surviving patients — will also likely need reconstructive surgery as their scars mature. Foster said all five plan on returning to Hawaii over the next few weeks and months as they progress through their respective treatment plans. 'It has been very gratifying to watch them progress and get better,' Foster said. 'And we're pretty happy with how this has gone. I mean, we're just a little bit over two months, which is pretty good.' Foster noted that severe burns are 'just about the worst thing that can happen' to a person and often take much longer to heal from compared to other types of trauma. 'It is uniquely horrifying,' Foster said of severe burns. 'There is something about being burned — being involved in an accident where burning is involved — it really affects human beings adversely. And I think all these patients are going to have to deal with that and are dealing with that right now.' Reach the reporter Perry Vandell at or 602-444-2474. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: 5 surviving victims of Hawaii firework tragedy discharged in Phoenix
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Aliamanu firework survivors discharged from Arizona hospital
HONOLULU (KHON2) — The five survivors from the Aliamanu New Year's blast, who were transported to Arizona, have been discharged from acute care at Diane & Bruce Halle Arizona Burn Center Valleywise Health. Six people were killed in the blast and dozens were hospitalized. Parents of Aliamanu firework explosion victim share their story 'Our last two Hawaiian patients were discharged from acute care here at the burn center earlier this week on Monday,' said Dr. Kevin Foster, director at Diane & Bruce Halle Arizona Burn Center Valleywise Health. He said the other three were discharged earlier this month. 'Two of them are still inpatient rehab here in Phoenix, and the other three are in outpatient therapy here at the burn center,' Dr. Foster added. He said some of the survivors required up to 12 surgeries and all remain in Phoenix learning how to do daily tasks like walking. The patients plan on returning to Hawaii over the next few weeks and months.'Lots of work ahead of them, they all have substantial scars and some physical limitations and disabilities that will be overcome with therapy,' he added. Dr. Foster said physical and occupational therapy could take months or years, and most of the patients, if not all of them, will have to undergo reconstructive surgeries within the next few years. 'It's a long road for patients who have large burns like all five of these patients, from a physical standpoint and from a psychological standpoint it is equally as hard,' he continued. He said the psychological impacts will come once they re-enter the world again. He said his facility is used to seeing firework-related injuries in Arizona, but not on this level with each patient having projectiles and particulate matter embedded into their skin. Aliamanu explosion homeowners arrested, later released 'We often don't see commercial heavy-duty firework injuries like we saw with these patients,' Dr. Foster said. 'And that made some unique wounds and predisposed them to infections we did not anticipate. That was a bit of a surprise, once we figured it out we could care for them easily, but that was something we had not seen before.' Dr. Foster said most of the patients remembered being at the party on New Year's Eve, but not much else after the blast. Straub Benioff Medical Center on Oahu said two patients are still being treated at their burn care unit, and six have been discharged to date. Honolulu Police have arrested 12 people with alleged connections to the party, none have been charged. Check out more news from around Hawaii HPD said it continues to investigate the incident including whether the survivors could be arrested for any involvement as well. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Yahoo
Man being treated for burns in Phoenix following NYE Honolulu fireworks explosion has died
A 29-year-old man who suffered severe burns from a large, illegal fireworks explosion at a home in Honolulu on New Year's Eve has died after being treated in Arizona, according to the Associated Press. His passing increased the death toll to five, AP confirmed. Valleywise Health said during a press conference earlier in January that six people were flown from Honolulu to Phoenix to be treated at the Arizona Burn Center. The six were men and women in their 20s and 30s who had been placed into a medically induced coma. Before the man's death, Dr. Kevin Foster, director of Arizona Burn Center, said the six patients were "all on course' to recovery and were 'exactly where we want them to be,' while noting they had a long way to go before they could be awakened. It was not immediately clear how or why the man's condition deteriorated. A Valleywise spokesperson declined to speak on Tuesday about the man's death due to privacy concerns. In a Jan. 1 news conference from the Honolulu Police Department, authorities said a person lit a firework "cake" containing around 50 individual aerial fireworks that somehow tipped over, shooting into other crates also filled with fireworks and resulting in the fatal explosion. Authorities estimated fireworks recovered at the scene cost tens of thousands of dollars. Honolulu police posted on its Facebook page on Jan. 24 that it had arrested a man and a woman in connection with reckless endangering, endangering the welfare of a minor and multiple fireworks charges. The police department said more arrests were expected to come. The department did not specify whether the pair would face more serious charges such as manslaughter. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Man dead after being flown to Phoenix following fireworks explosion