Test #2 Burns ARTICLES - Rude man Flashcards
What is the definition of a burn?
a burn is defined as a traumatic injury to the skin or other organic tissue primarily caused by thermal or other acute exposures.
What are some different types of burns? (6)
- thermal
- cold exposure (frostbite)
- chemical burn
- electrical current
- inhalation
- radiation burns (sunburn is most common)
With inhalation burns, hot smoke usually only burns what? Where can steam burn the airway?
hot smoke usually burns only the pharynx
steam can also burn the airway below the glottis
What is the old way to classify burns?
first degree (superficial or epidermal)
second degree (partial-thickness)
third degree (full thickness)
fourth degree (extend beneath the subcutaneous tissues and involve fascia, muscle and/or bone)
What is the current way to classify burns? (it reflects the need for surgical intervention)
superficial
superficial partial-thickness
deep partial-thickness
full-thickness
Describe a superficial burn.
involve only the epidermal layer of skin
do not blister, but are red and painful
blanch with pressure
(eg. sunburn)
Describe a superficial partial-thickness burn.
involve the epidermis and portions of the dermis
blister within 24 hours between the epidermis and dermis
painful, red, and weeping
blanch with pressure
Describe a deep partial-thickness burn.
extend into the deeper dermis
painful to pressure only
almost always blister, are wet or waxy dry
variable mottled color from cheesy white to red
does NOT blanch with pressure
Describe a full-thickness burn.
extend through and destroy all layers of the dermis and often injure subcutaneous tissue
skin appearance varies from waxy white to leather gray to charred and black
skin is dry and inelastic
does NOT blanch with pressure
What methods can be used to determine the total percentage of body surface area (TBSA) burned? (3)
Lund-Browder
“Rule of Nines”
Palm method
Which of those three methods is the most accurate for adults and children?
Lund-Browder
because it takes into account the relative percentage of body surface area affected by growth
Are superficial burns included in the TBSA burn assessment?
nope
Which method of burn estimation is the most expeditious with adults?
the rule of nines
How does the rule of nines work?
each leg represents 18 % TBSA
each arm represents 9 % TBSA
the anterior and posterior trunk each represent 18 % TBSA
the head represents 9 % TBSA
(it doesn’t say it in the article, but the junk should be 1%. or in josh’s case, 2%)
How does the Palm method work?
the palm of the patient’s hand, excluding the fingers, is approx. 0.5% of the total body surface area
the palm, including fingers, is 1% of the total body surface area