Burns Flashcards
1
Q
Skin
A
- largest organ in the body
Functions of the skin: - protection against infection (which is why when there is burns, there’s easily infections)
- prevention of loss of body fluids
- control of body temperature
- functioning as an excretory organ
- cushioning the deeper structures from mechanical injury
- production of vitamin D
- helping to determine personal identity
2
Q
Layers of skin
A
- epidermis
- dermis
- subcutaneous tissue
3
Q
Epidermis
A
- thin no vascular outer layer
- consists of layers of epithelial cells
- barrier to bacteria and moisture loss
4
Q
Dermis
A
- bulk of the skin
- hair follicles, blood vessels, sweat glands, nerve endings, and sebaceous glands
5
Q
Subcutaneous tissue
A
- deepest layer
- mostly fat that provides insulation and cushioning
- contains larger blood vessels and nerves
- anchors the skin to the bones and muscles
6
Q
Pathophysiology of burns
A
- zone of hyperemia
- zone of stasis
- zone of coagulation
7
Q
Zone of hyperemia
A
- tissue is damaged but with proper care, can heal and recover
8
Q
Zone of stasis
A
- damage results in decreased tissue perfusion
- tissue in this zone may be salvageable
- try to increase perfusion to this area and prevent any irreversible damage
9
Q
Zone of coagulation
A
- area exposed to the most heat and endures the most damage
- area of irreversible tissue destruction
10
Q
Causes of burn injuries
A
- fire (most common)
- scald (injured with hot liquid or steam)
- hot object
- electrical
- chemical
11
Q
Diagram (slide 6)
A
- 1 person per 10,000 people in the U.S. requiring inpatient hospitalization at a burn center
- more common in males (risk-taker personality)
- median age = 40 years
- 45% of all burn injuries were caused by flame or flash
- scalds make up 58% of pediatric cases
12
Q
Depth of burn
A
- how deep into the skin layers the burn extends and its duration
- superficial (first degree burn)
- partial thickness (second degree burn)
- full thickness (third degree burn)
13
Q
Superficial burn injury (first degree)
A
- involves only the epidermal layer of skin
- characterized by redness and pain
- wound is dry
- no blisters
- would blanch easily (blanch is when you touch/press your skin and it turns to white, then turns back to normal color again)
- sensitive to air and/or light touch
- sunburn or flash from an explosion
- heal spontaneously within 7 days
- leave no permanent scar
- doesn’t extend to 2nd layer of skin (dermis)
14
Q
Partial-thickness burn (second-degree)
A
- destroys the epidermal layer
- extends down into the dermal layer of the skin
15
Q
Superficial partial thickness burn (second degree)
A
- damage in the upper layers of the papillary dermis (burned half way through the dermis)
- like a sunburn that peels
- clear blisters and weeping, wet skin
- burn will blanch
- heal in 3 weeks
16
Q
Deep partial thickness
A
- affect the entire epidermis and dermis (burned all the way through)
- spare the base of the hair follicle
- may have blisters with bloody fluid
- does not blanch
- painful because exposed nerve endings
- may require grafting
17
Q
Full-thickness burn (third degree)
A
- destroys the entire epidermal and dermal layers of skin
- extends into the subcutaneous tissue
- charred black, cherry red, tan, or pearly white in color
- dry, leathery, and hard in texture
- nerve endings are destroyed
- can remain sensitive to deep pressure
- residual scar
- severe risk for contractures formation (when have 3rd or 4th degree burns, you get tight skins from the scars which leads to contractures when you’re not having a full ROM
18
Q
Deep full-thickness burn (fourth degree)
A
- destroys all skin layers
- extends into the muscle tendon or bone (bone, skin, muscle, tendons are gone)
- charred or mummified appearance
- challenging to close
- can result in partial or total loss of function
- severe damage to underlying structures
- may lead to amputations
19
Q
Inhalation injury
A
- if you get burns in the upper torso, chest, shoulders, face, it is likely that you will also get inhalation injury because you were breathing in that hot air and burning too
- setting of a thermal injury in an enclosed space
- reduce oxygen saturation
- cyanosis = a bluish-purple color of the skin
- stridor = an abnormal, high-pitched respiratory sound produced by irregular airflow in a narrowed airway
- visible mucosal change in the upper airway
- presence of facial burns
- singed nasal hair
- hoarse voice
- wheezing
- hypoxia = low levels of oxygen in your body tissues
- cough
- once your pulse is less than 90%, the oxygen is not traveling well in your blood and is not getting to your heart, brain, liver, and other organs
20
Q
How to diagnose the type of burn injuries
A
- look at the depth of the burn
- determine the TBSA (total body surface area) involved
- rule of nines = a way to do the total body of surface area
21
Q
Burn shock
A
- burns in excess of 15-20% totally body surface area (TBSA)
- occurs with the first 24 hours
- peaks around 6-8 hours after injury (the worst part)
- burns cause the capillaries to become more permeable, allowing plasma to leak into the surrounding tissues, resulting in edema
- this loss of circulating fluid reduces blood volume
- increase in blood viscosity
- low cardiac output
- to treat it is through an IV fluid
- burn shock = full loss of fluids (not necessarily blood)
- can lead to multiple stem organ failure