Thermal Injuries Flashcards
Burns result in both _____ and ______ inflammatory responses
local, systemic
A burn is damaged tissue from thermal energy that ______ and ______ protein leading to irreversible damage
denatures, coagulates
Systemic responses to burns (usually in 20% BSA or greater)
- cardiovascular (fluid to interstitial space, shock)
- respiratory (bronchoconstriction - respiratory failure, ARDS)
- metabolic (high nutritional demands)
- Immunological (infection risk)
5 Types of burns
- heat
- electrical
- friction
- chemical
- radiation
Why is it important to get an accurate estimation of burn size
to guide therapy and possible transfer to burn center
TBSA stands for
total % body surface area
3 methods of burn size estimation
- lund-browder chart
- rule of Nines
- palm method
Rule of 9s
Which burn size estimation is best used in pediatric cases?
Lund-Browder chart (considers relative % of body surface area affected by growth
Burns suspicious for physical abuse
- scald burns with sharp demarcations
- distinct shape of objects
- small circular burns (cigarette)
- burns on perineal area (dip in)
Burn classifications
Superficial burns
- epidermis only
- no blisters
- painful, dry, erythematous, blancing
- heals 3-5 days
- no scarring
- Tx: remove clothing/jewelry, cool burn, NSAIDs
Sunburn
- involves UVA and UVB (UVB = more erythema)
- Ddx: consider drug induced phototoxic reactions like phytophotodermatitis
Superficial partial thickness burns
- involves epidermis and papillary layer of dermis
- blisters
- pain, erythema, moist, weeping, blanches
- heals 1-3 weeks
- infection risk
- Tx: cool water, NSAIDs, clean, debridement, topical abx
Commonly used topical Antimicrobials for burns
- bacitracin, neomycin (allergic rxns)
- silver sulfadiazine (not on face, sulfa allergy, pregnancy)
- Bismuth petroleum gauze (used in skin graft)
- mefanide acetate
- chlorhexidine
Deep partial thickness burns
- involves epidermis and reticular layer of dermis (hair follicles and glands)
- blisters
- painful only to pressure
- waxy, dry, red yellow or pale, non-blanchable
- heals 2-9 weeks
- hypertrophic scarring expected, joint impairment
- Tx: don’t cool/submerge, pain control, tetanus update, excision/closure, burn center, ICU, nutritional/psychological support, contracture management
Full thickness burn
- involves epi, dermis, hypodermis
- same management as deep partial
- pain control with opioids
4th degree burn
- extends into fat, muscle, bone
- no feeling, non-blanchable
- permanent damage
- extensive tissue reconstruction and debridement
Diagnostics for major burns
- CBC
- Electrolytes (hyperkalemia)
- Creatinine Kinase for rhabdomyolysis
- carboxyhemoglobin (CO poisoning)
- serum lactate (cyanide poisoning)
- Arterial blood gas
- chest x ray
- end tidal CO2 and pulse ox
- ECG/EKG
- blood typing for transfusion