Burns : journal of the International Society for Burn Injuries
-
Hair straighteners are a popular beauty product in the UK. An alarming rise in admissions to the Welsh Centre for Burns and Plastic Surgery, for burns caused by hair straighteners has led to this study. A thermodynamic study was also performed to look at temperature range and cooling profiles of these devices. ⋯ Children and crawling babies are at particular risk from preventable burns from hair straighteners. The frequency of burns from hair straighteners is rising and even small burns to the hand can have serious sequelae and need to be treated in specialist centres. Health promotion and discussion with the industry is required to stop this new and increasing problem.
-
Treatment of people with burn injuries includes recovery of optimal function for survivors to fully participate in society, psychologically and physically. Increased likelihood of physical survival has led to greater concern for potential psychological morbidity for the burn survivor. Based on research and on many years of clinical experience in providing psychosocial care to burned children and adults, the authors outline their approach to assisting burn survivors and their families through the arduous process of recovery from admission through critical care, inpatient recuperation and reintegration upon hospital discharge. A philosophy of rehabilitation, a process that may occur for many months or years after patients' discharge from their acute hospitalization, is presented in the form of seven guidelines for working with burn survivors.
-
The posttraumatic response to a severe burn leads to marked and prolonged skeletal muscle catabolism and weakness, which persist despite standard rehabilitation programs of occupational and physical therapy. We investigated the degree to which the prolonged skeletal muscle catabolism affects the muscle function of children 6 months after severe burn. ⋯ Our results serve as an objective and a practical clinical approach for assessing muscle function and also aid in establishing potential rehabilitation goals, and monitoring progress towards these goals in burned children.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial
Spray on skin improves psychosocial functioning in pediatric burns patients: a randomized controlled trial.
Microskin is a sprayed on, computer color-matched, skin camouflage which can last for up to 5 days after application. It binds to the epidermis and the patient can sweat and swim with it on. The purpose of the current study was to determine whether Microskin produces psychosocial benefit in pediatric burns patients. ⋯ Microskin improves psychosocial functioning in pediatric burn patients and is well-tolerated and acceptable. The small sample size precludes sophisticated statistical analyses and generalization of results. There is a need for a full scale randomized controlled study of Microskin with a larger sample size.
-
The susceptibility of mice to infectious complications is dramatically increased in an accompaniment with systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). Polymorphonuclear neutrophils with immunosuppressive ability (PMN-II) that appear in response to SIRS have been classified as one of the cells responsible for the increased susceptibility of mice with SIRS (SIRS mice) to sepsis induced by cecal-ligation and puncture (CLP). Since a high level of norepinephrine (NE) is demonstrated in the plasma of SIRS mice, in the present study, the role of NE on the appearance of PMN-II in SIRS mice was studied. ⋯ CCL2 and IL-10 (biomarkers for PMN-II) were equally produced by PMN-II prepared from SIRS mice and NE-treated PMN. However, CCL3 and IL-12 (biomarkers for immunostimulatory PMN, PMN-I) were not detected in culture fluids from either PMN preparation. These results indicate that NE mass-produced in association with SIRS development plays a role on the generation of PMN-II and the appearing PMN-II are responsible, in part, for increased susceptibility of SIRS mice to CLP-induced infectious complications.