Burn Types and Classification

Question 1

thermal burns

Answer 1

caused by conduction or convection

(ex) contact with hot liquid, fire or steam

Question 2

electrical burns

Answer 2

caused by the passage of electrical current through the body, typically an entrance and exit wound

• complications can include cardiac arrhythmia, respiratory arrest, renal failure, neuro damage, fractures
  (ex) lightening strike

Question 3

chemical burn

Answer 3

occurs when certain chemical compounds come in contact with the body.
- reaction continues until chemical is diluted at sire of contact

Question 4

compounds that cause chemical burns

Answer 4

sulfuric acid
lye
hypochloric acid
gasoline

Question 5

radiation burn

Answer 5

occurs most commonly with exposure to external beam ration therapy

• DNA altered in exposed tissues and ischemic injury may be irreversible
• complications may include severe blistering, desquamation, non-healing wounds, tissue fibrosis, permanent discoloration and new malignancies

Question 6

zones of injury

Answer 6

zone of coagulation
zone of stasis
zone of hyperemia

Question 7

zone of coagulation

Answer 7

area of a burn that receives the most severe injury with irreversible cell damage

Question 8

zone of stasis

Answer 8

area of less severe injury with reversible damage and surrounds zone of coagulation

Question 9

zone of hyperemia

Answer 9

area surrounding zone of stasis that presents with inflammation, but will fully recover without any intervention or permanent damage

Question 10

burn severity depends on

Answer 10

severity depends on gender, age, duration, type and affected area of burn

Question 11

superficial burn

Answer 11

involves only the outer epidermis

- involved area may bed red with slight edema, healing occurs without peeling or evidence of scarring in 2-5 days

Question 12

superficial partial- thickness burn

Answer 12

involves the epidermis and upper portion of the dermis

• involved are may be extremely painful and exhibits blisters
• healing occurs with min to no scarring in 5-21 days

Question 13

deep partial- thickness burn

Answer 13

involves complete destruction of epidermis and majority of dermis

• involved area may appear to be discolored with broken blisters or edema
• damage to nerve endings may result in only moderate levels of pain
• hypertrophic or keloid scarring may occur in the absence of infection healing will occur in 21-35 days

Question 14

full-thickness burn

Answer 14

involves complete destruction of the epidermis and dermis along with partial damage to the subcutaneous fat layer

• involved area is typically with eschar formation and minimal pain
• require grafts and are susceptible to infection
• healing time varies weeks- months

Question 15

subdermal burn

Answer 15

complete destruction of epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous tissue
- may involve muscle and bone, require multiple cervical intervention and extensive intervention time