Burn Flashcards
What are the 5 types of burns?
Heat, electrical, friction, chemical, radiation
What 3 things is the depth of injury related to with heat burns?
- Contact temp
- Duration of contact
- Thickness of skin
How does electricity cause burns?
Electrical energy is transformed to heat when electrical current passes through body tissue.
Why are electrical burns one of the most devastating?
Because it travels through the body, usually through the heart, and disrupts membrane potentials. This leads to deadly arrhythmias.
What 3 things is the magnitude of electrical burns dependent on?
- The pathway of the current.
- The resistance to current flow.
- The strength and duration of current flow.
How do chemicals cause burns?
The alter pH depending on the compound and disrupt cell membranes.
How do acids cause necrosis?
Through coagulation
How do bases cause necrosis?
Through liquefaction
What are 4 common examples of radiation burns?
Sunburns, therapeutic radiation, diagnostic procedures, nuclear industry workers.
How long does it take for burns to fully develop?
24 - 72 hours
What populations typically have deeper burns due to thin skin?
Adults > 55 and children < 5
A burn involving only the epidermis is what class?
Superficial 1st degree
How long does a superficial burn take to heal?
3-6 days
What are the characteristics of a superficial partial thickness burn?
- Epidermis & part of the dermis
- mottled red
- blisters and weeping
- very painful
How long does a superficial partial thickness burn take to heal?
10-14 days
What are the characteristics of a deep partial thickness burn?
- Extends deep into the dermis
- pale
- requires skin graft
How long does a deep partial thickness burn take to heal?
21-28 days
What are the characteristics of a full thickness burn?
- Dermis is destroyed
- translucent, dry, painless, charred
- non-blanching
- requires grafting
What is the breakdown for the rule of nine’s in an adult?
Head = 9%
Each arm = 9%
Each leg = 18%
Ant. Trunk = 18%
Post. Trunk = 18%
Perineum = 1%
What is the most significant difference between adult rule and infant of nine’s?
The head of an infant is 21% instead of 9%
How accurate is the rule of nine’s?
60% - 70% due to differing depths of burns.
What is the palmar method?
The patients palm with fingers together = 1% of BSA
At what BSA burned does metabolic rate double?
> 40% BSA burned.
At what BSA burned do patients develop burn shock?
> 20% BSA
