Is the Dark Knight's Two-Face a Realistic Description of Third Degree Burns?

From the Kevin MD medical blog:

Patient-blogger Duncan Cross takes exception to the cavalier treatment director Christopher Nolan gives to third-degree burns in Aaron Eckhart's super-villain."There is no way that eye would have survived intact, much less be able to function without a lid and tear ducts," he writes. And his refusal of pain medications in the film? "The idea that someone could suffer Dent’s injuries, be in that kind of pain, and still be capable of coherent thought is just plain BS."

I spent a considerable amount of time during my plastic surgery residency working in a regional Burn Unit. Burn injuries are some of the most painful wounds we can suffer, and often need massive amounts of narcotics to control. I would have to agree with the statements above.

I haven't seen the Dark Knight yet, but currently have it on my Netflix queue. I was a bit of a comics geek when I was a kid, so I'm excited to see this one...

Thanks for reading.
Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.: