Burns Flashcards
What are the four main types of burn?
Thermal
Electrical
Chemical
Radiation
What are the key features of a thermal burn?
Burn due to direct contact w/ hot object/vapour
-depth determined by temp, duration, relative thickness of skin
What are the key features of an electrical burn?
Severity depends on strength of voltage & duration of contact
-associated deep tissue damage
What are the key features of a chemical burn?
May penetrate deep into skin & cause continued damage
-alkali burns are worse
What is the cause of a radiation burn?
Due to radiation exposure
-associated w/ cancer
How is the severity of a burn assessed?
Depth
Amount of skin involved
Associated clinical features
How can the depth of a burn be classified?
Full
Partial thickness
What defines partial thickness burns?
Epithelial elements spared
-allows spontaneous healing
How can partial thickness burns be classified?
Superficial erythema
Superficial partial thickness
Deep partial thickness
What clinical features suggest a partial thickness burn?
Erythema that
- blanches on pressure
- retains sterile pinprick sensation
- bleeds on irritation
What is superficial erythema?
Superficial burn that leads to blanching erythema
- due to capillary dilation
- w/ or w/o blistering
- germinal layer intact
- heals w/i few days
What is a superficial partial thickness burn?
Burn involving germinal layer
- dermal appendages preserved
- blistering & sloughing of skin
- heals w/i 10 days
What is a deep partial thickness burn?
Burn involving germinal layer & dermis/dermal appendages
- slow healing
- associated scarring
What is a full thickness burn?
Complete destruction of skin & germinal layer
- initial blistering replaced by slough
- separates over 3-4wks
- leaves granulation tissue
- heal by dense scar tissue
- contracture & deformity common
What clinical features suggest a full thickness burn?
Non-blanching
Do not bleed on needle testing
Sensation absent