1.19 Burns 2 Flashcards
superficial partial radiation burn: drain it or leave it?
science says drain it
superficial partial friction burn: drain it or leave it?
science says try to keep the blister
If a burn has a blister that has been popped, what should you do?
try to keep the skin and smooth out as much as possible
What should you do if something dries onto a burn?
DON’T pull it off
- put moisture on it and slowly peel it off
- otherwise the inflammatory response starts all over again
edema and full thickness burns: what are two major concerns?
- can cut off blood supply and ability to breathe
- compartment syndrome
Which causes more severe scars: deep partial or full thickness?
deep partial (entire surface is a scar, not grafted tissue)
What is an escharotomy used for?
- to reduce contracture/pressure
- clean out dead tissue
eschar
dead tissue
How is an electrical burn caused?
runs from inside out along nerves
What to consider with electrical burns
- Did it flow close to their heart?
- Which nerves were fried?
- check the muscle for signs of compartment syndrome
ballooning
fill scarred area with saline or air filled balloons over months to grow new skin in the area
full thickness burn over the entire body: rehab considerations
- can’t produce sweat- overheat
- feeding, eyes
- no sebaceous glands (=no oils)
- not much sensation
- scar has less tensile strength
best types of grafts to use
autografts if there’s enough skin
Why use mesh grafts?
- each hole makes a lot of small wounds instead of one big one
- takes a lot less time for epithelialization to occur
When would it be possible to take a full thickness autograft from someone?
if the tissue in the graft site can be approximated and sewn back together
