Burns Flashcards
Burn
Thermal injury that destroys layers of skin
Rule of 9s
Used with adults
- divides body into 9s or multiples of 9s to calculate total body surface area of burns
Lund-Browder chart
Children/infants
- more accurate method of calculating total body surface area
Superficial/1st degree burn
- involves superficial epidermis
- pain: min to mod, no blistering, min erythema
- healing time: 3-7 days
Superficial partial thickness/superficial 2nd degree burn
- involves epidermis & upper dermis layers
- pain: significant, wet blistering, erythema present
- healing time: 1-3 week
Deep partial thickness/deep 2nd degree burns
- involves epidermis, deep dermis, hair follicles, sweat glands
- pain: severe even to light touch
- erythema present w/without blisters
- burn has high risk of turning into full-thickness burn because of infection; consider grafting to prevent infection
- may have impaired sensation
- high potential for hypertrophic scar
- healing time varies from 3-5 weeks
Full thickness/3rd degree burn
- involves epidermis, dermis, hair follicles, sweat glands, nerve endings
- burn: pain free, no sensation to light touch, pale, nonblanching
- requires skin graft
- extremely high potential for hypertrophic scar
Subdermal burn
- full-thickness burn with damage to underlying tissue (fat, muscles, bone)
- charring present; may have exposed fat, tendons, muscles
- if burn is electrical: destruction of nerve along pathway is present
- peripheral nerve damage is significant
- requires surgical intervention for wound closure or amputation
- extremely high potential for hypertrophic scar
Mechanisms of burns
- Thermal: heat, cold, scald, flame
- Radiation: sunburn, x-ray, radiation therapy for cancer patients
- Chemical: acid (sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid), alkali (dry lime, potassium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide)
- Electrical burn: high voltage vs low voltage
- Burn results in tissue necrosis rather than direct heat production
Chemical burn
Which is more severe: alkali or acid burn
Alkali
Which is more dangerous: high voltage or low voltage electrical burn?
Low voltage: at the same current
-causes greater muscle contraction, makes it more difficult for person to voluntarily control muscles to release electrified object
Causes single muscle contraction & throws victim from the source, client more likely to have blunt trauma along with burn
High voltage direct current
Emergent phase medical treatment focuses on
Sustaining life, controlling infection, manage pain
— can include IVs, intubation, escharotomy, fasciotomy, wound dressings w/anti microbial ointment for infection control, universal precautions for medical staff & family
Phase 0-72 hrs after injury
Emergent phase
Emergent phase: sustaining life
- Risk of dehydration
- Hypo or hyperthermia: no temp control
- Fluid resuscitation
- Cardiopulmonary stability
- Escharotomy & fasciotomy
Fluid resuscitation
Rapid leakage of IV fluid into surrounding extra vascular tissues = decreased plasma & blood volume, reduced cardiac output
When is cardiopulmonary stability important?
If respiratory tract has sustained smoke inhalation injury
What leads to compartment syndrome?
The inelasticity of the eschar (burned tissue) increasing internal pressure within fascia compartments
Symptoms of compartment syndrome
- paresthesia
- coldness
- decreased/absent pulse in extremities
Escharotomy & fasciotomy
Release pressure within fascia compartments
- Escharotomy: surgical excision of eschars
- Fasciotomy: incision into the fascia
What do wound dressing products do?
- protect wound against infection
- superficially debride wound & provide comfort
Types of wound dressings
- Topical antibiotics
- Biological dressing
- Nonbiological skin-substitute dressings: biosynthetic products such as biobrane
Biological dressing types
- Xenografts: bovine skin, processed pig skin
- Allograft: human cadaver skin
What pharmacological tx is used during emergent phase?
Narcotic analgesics
Phase occurring 72 hours after injury or until wound is closed (days or months)
Acute phase
Acute phase focuses on
Infection control, grafts, biological dressings, psychological support & team communication
Surgical intervention during acute phase
- Escharotomy & debridgement
- removal of burned/dead skin to allow new vascularized skin to close up wound