Burns Flashcards
Divides the body into 9s or multiples of 9s to calculate total body surface area of burns (TBSA)
ADULTS: The Rule of Nines
A more accurate method of calculating TBSA, used especially for children, based on age
CHILDREN and INFANTS: Lund-Browder chart
- Involves the superficial epidermis
- Pain is minimal to moderate
- Dry, superficial redness, blister free
- No risk of scar formation or contracture
- Healing time is 3-7 days
- Associated with: Mild sunburn or short exposure to heat source, chemical, or hot liquid
Superficial (first-degree) burn
- Involves the epidermis and upper dermis layers
- Pain is significant; wet blistering and erythema are present
- Low risk of hypertrophic scar formation
- Healing time is 1-3 weeks
- Associated with: Severe sunburn, lengthy exposure to a heat source
Superficial Partial-Thickness (Superficial second-degree) burn
- Involves the epidermis and the deep dermis layers, hair follicles, and sweat glands
- Pain is severe, even to light touch
- Erythema is present, with or without blisters
- Burn has a high risk of turning into a full-thickness burn because of infection; grafting may be considered to prevent wound infection
- Client may have impairment of sensation
- Potential for hypertrophic scar or contracture is high
- Healing time varies from 3-5 weeks
- Associated with: Direct contact or lengthy exposure to a heat source
Deep Partial-Thickness (Deep second-degree) burn
- Involves the epidermis and dermis, hair follicles, sweat glands, and nerve endings
- Burn is pain free, no sensation to light touch
- Burn is pale and non-blanching
- Requires skin graft
- Potential for hypertrophic scar and contracture is extremely high
Full-Thickness (Third-degree) burn
- Full-thickness burn with damage to underlying tissue such as fat, muscles, and bones
- Charring is present; may have exposed fat, tendons, or muscles
- If the burn is electrical, destruction of nerve along the pathway is present
- Peripheral nerve damage is significant
- Requires surgical intervention for wound closure or amputation
- Potential for hypertrophic scar is extremely high
Subdermal burn
- Risk of dehydration as one of the functions of skin is it serves as a moisture barrier - risk for dehydration through evaporation
- Hypo- or hyperthermia
- Fluid resuscitation: rapid league of protein-rich intravascular fluid into surrounding extravascular tissues can result in decreased plasma and blood volume and reduce cardiac output
- Cardiopulmonary stability: important if the respiratory tract has sustained a smoke inhalation injury
- Escharotomy and fasciotomy
Medical Management
Emergent phase: 0-72 hours after injury
Sustaining Life
-Wound-dressing products protects the wound against infection, superficially debride the wound, and provide comfort
-Type of wound dressing:
=Topical antibiotics
=Biologic dressing
-> Xenografts - bovine skin, processed pig skin
-> Allograft - human cadaver skin
=Nonbiological skin-substitute dressings - biosynthetic products such as Biobran
Medical Management
Emergent phase: 0-72 hours after injury
Controlling Infection
- Pharmacological; likely use of narcotic analgesics
- Include pain management of any associated injuries (organ injuries or fractures)
Medical Management
Emergent phase: 0-72 hours after injury
Managing Pain
- Infection control
- Pain management
- Proper nutrition and hydration
- Cardiopulmonary stability is maintained
Medical Management
Acute phase: 72 hours after injury or until wound is closed (may be days or months)
-Autograft: transplantation of the person’s own skin from an unburned donor site to the burned receiving site
-Split-thickness skin graft
=Full epidermal and particle dermal layer are taken from donor site
=Chance of graft survival is high
-Full-thickness skin graft
=Full thickness of the epidermal and dermal layers plus a percentage of fat layers are taken from donor site
=Chance of graft survival is less
=The outcome is functionally and cosmetically better if graft adherence occurs
Types of Skin Grafts
Medical treatment continues with skin grafts and reconstruction surgery as needed for movement and function
Medical Management
Rehabilitation Phase
-OT Evaluation: Clinical observations of body parts affected by burns, information gathering on prior functional status
-OT Intervention: Splinting in antideformity positions
=Intrinsics plus for hands
=Opposite client’s posture
=Generally in extension for the neck, elbows, and knees
=Shoulder in abduction and hip in extension
=Anti-frog leg and anti-foot drop for lower extremity
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY EVALUATION AND INTERVENTION
Emergent Phase: 0-72 hours
Emergent phase OT Intervention: Splinting in anti deformity positions
- Intrinsics plus for hands
- Opposite client’s posture
- Generally in extension for the neck, elbows, and knees
- Shoulder in abduction and hip in extension
- Anti-frog leg and anti-foot drop for lower extremity
- OT Evaluation: ADLs, psychosocial aspects, communication, cognition, ROM, muscle strength, and pain
- OT Intervention: Splinting and positioning in antideformity position, edema management, early participation in ADLs, and client and caregiver education
- Anti-Contracture positioning: Positioning is critical because the position of greatest comfort is usually the position of contracture
- Edema Management
- Early participation in ADLs
- Client and caregiver education
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY EVALUATION AND INTERVENTION
Acute Phase 72 hours after injury or until wound is closed (may be days or months)
What is Anti-Contracture positioning for Neck
Neck: neutral to slight extension
What is Anti-Contracture positioning for Chest
-Chest and abdomen: trunk extension, shoulder retraction