Burns : journal of the International Society for Burn Injuries
-
Randomized Controlled Trial
A novel technology approach to pain management in children with burns: A prospective randomized controlled trial.
Non-pharmacological approaches to supporting young children through painful medical procedures are an essential component of burn pain management protocols. New technology developed from collaborations between healthcare professionals and IT teams can enhance the preparation and distraction approaches used with children. This study follows on from previous studies using such technology, and aim to determine whether levels of pain and distress using a combined preparation and distraction content can be further reduced, and offer more efficient clinical outcomes. ⋯ A combined MMD protocol reduces the pain experiences for young children during burn care procedures. When compared with a previous MMD trial, outcomes reiterated the use of procedural preparation as an essential component of non-pharmacological approaches. In addition to minimizing pain and distress, this innovative technology reduced treatment length and pain adverse events, and may have an impact on reducing days to healing, providing evidence of clinical efficacy and utility.
-
In preventing burns, it is essential to know how they occur and which population groups, environments and heating appliances can be targeted for prevention work. The aim of this study was to determine the epidemiological characteristics of burns leading to hospitalisation in the northwest of Iran with a focus on the pre-event phase of injury. Between 2007 and 2008, 237 burn victims hospitalised in Ardabil provincial burn centre were enrolled into a descriptive study. ⋯ The two most important injury patterns, more common among women, were getting burned while using a camping gas stove or while refilling the chamber of kerosene-burning appliances without first extinguishing them. Domestic burns among children and young women are a priority in injury-prevention programmes. Camping gas stoves, valors (traditional dual-purpose heating and cooking appliances) and samovars can be considered as target appliances for burn-specific home-safety-promotion efforts in this area or in similar settings.
-
Clinical examination alone is not always sufficient to determine which burn wounds will heal spontaneously and which will require surgical intervention for optimal outcome. We present a review of optical modalities currently in clinical use and under development to assist burn surgeons in assessing burn wound severity, including conventional histology/light microscopy, laser Doppler imaging, indocyanine green videoangiography, near-infrared spectroscopy and spectral imaging, in vivo capillary microscopy, orthogonal polarization spectral imaging, reflectance-mode confocal microscopy, laser speckle imaging, spatial frequency domain imaging, photoacoustic microscopy, and polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography.
-
Multicenter Study
Psychosocial impact of childhood face burns: a multicenter, prospective, longitudinal study of 390 children and adolescents.
This two-year longitudinal study of the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of children with face burns was conducted in three regional pediatric burn care centers. Subjects were 390 children less than 18 years old at injury, admitted for burn treatment from September 2001 to December 2004. ⋯ Severe face burn influences HRQoL in children. Additional psychosocial support is suggested to enhance recovery for patients with severe face burns and their families during the years following injury.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial
Effect of N-acetylcysteine treatment on the expression of leukocyte surface markers after burn injury.
Oxidative stress and inflammatory processes generate edema in burns. Treatment of consequent hypovolemia is a challenge. The aim of study was to assess if glutathione pro-drug N-acetylcysteine (NAC) can influence inflammation and fluid requirement. ⋯ Expression of CD11a (p < 0.05), CD18 (p < 0.05) and CD97 (p < 0.01) on the granulocytes were significantly lower in the NAC treated group, similarly to lymphocyte CD 49d (p < 0.05) and monocyte CD 49d (p < 0.01) and CD 97 (p < 0.05) expression. No significant difference was found in the fluid requirement between groups but patients the NAC group required less vasopressor and inotropic drugs from day 4. NAC treatment is associated with a less pronounced inflammation reflected in lower CD marker expression and vasopressor requirement.