Burns : journal of the International Society for Burn Injuries
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Throughout history there have been many different and sometimes bizarre treatments prescribed for burns. Unfortunately many of these treatments still persist today, although they often do not have sufficient evidence to support their use. This paper reviews common first aid and pre-hospital treatments for burns (water--cold or warm, ice, oils, powders and natural plant therapies), possible mechanisms whereby they might work and the literature which supports their use. From the published work to date, the current recommendations for the first aid treatment of burn injuries should be to use cold running tap water (between 2 and 15 degrees C) on the burn, not ice or alternative plant therapies.
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Heterotopic ossification (HO) is an uncommon, but high profile complication of burns. In this paper, a retrospective study was undertaken to evaluate our treatment and results of HO. Relevant literature was also reviewed to search for new advances in prevention and management for patients with HO after burns. ⋯ Although HO after burn is uncommon, physicians should keep the complication in mind. When burn patients complain decreased ROM or "locking sign" in their joints, X-ray examination is indicated to rule out HO. Surgery is the treatment of choice when the diagnosis of HO is confirmed.
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Multicenter Study
Epidemiology of burn injuries presenting to North Carolina emergency departments in 2006-2007.
Approximately 600,000 burns present to Emergency Departments each year in the United States, yet there is little systematic or evidence-based training of Emergency Physicians in acute burn management. We retrospectively accessed the North Carolina Disease Event Tracking and Epidemiologic Collection Tool (NC DETECT) database to identify all thermal burns and electrical injuries with associated thermal burns presenting to 92% of North Carolina Emergency Departments over a 1-year period. ⋯ This is the first state-wide study of burn injury and identifies Emergency Physicians as the major providers of acute burn care. Ninety-two percent of 10,501 burn visits, including the majority of severe injuries, were managed exclusively by Emergency Physicians. This supports a need for improved, evidence-based training of Emergency Physicians in the acute management of burns of all types.
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Laser Doppler imaging (LDI) is a noninvasive technique used to assess burn depth. However, there have been no studies regarding the use of LDI in predicting burn healing time. ⋯ This study suggests the mean PU as determined by LDI can be used as a valuable tool in predicting the healing time of burn wounds.
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This study investigated the association of inhalation injury (IHI) with smoking, alcohol and drug abuse in patients admitted to the Welsh Centre for Burns between 1995 and 2006. Common characteristics of these individuals were identified and contrasted with inhalation injury not associated with these social factors. Two hundred and fourteen patients were identified with inhalation injury. ⋯ The proportion of IHI cases associated with smoking remained stable but IHI associated with alcohol and drug abuse increased dramatically over the course of the study and if current trends continue will increase further in future years. This study also showed that IHI associated with smoking alcohol and drug abuse were found to be largely caused by housefires and deliberate self-harm, and occurred between 22:00 and 05:59 h. These results were in sharp contrast with IHI not associated with these factors.