Burns : journal of the International Society for Burn Injuries
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The DermaLab Combo(®) is a device with potential to make objective measurements of key scar components - pigmentation, vascularity, pliability and thickness. This study assessed the inter-rater and test-retest reliability of these measurements. ⋯ The DermaLab Combo(®) measured pigmentation, thickness and pliability with "excellent" reliability. If future studies provide protocols to improve test-retest reliability of vascularity measurements and obtain pliability measurements more successfully, the DermaLab Combo(®) will be valuable device for scar assessment.
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Many burns surgeons avoid excision and direct closure of acute burns owing to concerns over wound dehiscence, scarring and infection. There is no evidence in the literature to support this practice. We present outcomes of a prospective series of 100 patients who underwent excision and direct closure of 138 burns over a 2-year period, along with results from a survey sent to 33 senior burns surgeons to gauge attitudes towards direct closure in burns surgery. 47% of survey respondents never perform direct closure. ⋯ Patients undergoing part-grafting in addition to direct closure took significantly longer to heal than those undergoing direct closure alone (p=0.0002), with the donor site or graft delaying healing in the majority. Excision and direct closure of acute burn wounds avoids donor site morbidity and has an acceptable complication rate. It is a safe and effective treatment for full thickness burns in selected cases.
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There is minimal insight into the prevalence of reconstructive surgery after burns. The objective of this study was to analyse the prevalence, predictors, indications, techniques and medical costs of reconstructive surgery after burns. ⋯ With this study we elucidated the reconstructive needs of patients after burns. The data presented can be used as reference in future studies that aim to improve scar quality of burns and decrease the need for reconstructive surgery.
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'Permissive hypovolaemia' fluid regimes in adult burn care are suggested to improve outcomes. Effects in paediatric burn care are less well understood. In a retrospective audit, outcomes of children from the South West Children's Burn Centre (SWCBC) less than 16 years of age with scalds of 10-20% burn surface area (BSA) managed with a reduced volume fluid resuscitation regime (post-2007) were compared to (a) an historical local protocol (pre-2007) and (b) current regimes in burn services across England and Wales (E&W). ⋯ Re-admission rates were comparable between all groups. A reduced fluid regime has significantly shortened LOS/%BSA without compromising burn depth as measured by skin grafting to achieve healing. A prospective trial comparing permissive hypovolaemia to current regimes for moderate paediatric scald injuries would help clarify.
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Medical and non-medical uses of silver are increasing. While the health benefits of silver therapy are widely claimed, few studies address the possible side effects of resistance, allergy, or skin discoloration. In this manuscript, a review of silver absorption, mechanism of action, allergy, microbial resistance and skin changes is presented. ⋯ In microbes, genotypic resistance does not necessarily confer phenotypic resistance. Most cases of argyria occur from occupational exposure or from ingestion of colloidal silver rather than from topical application. Although toxicity, resistance and chronic skin changes are a theoretic concern, the lack of reported side effects despite widespread silver use is reassuring.