Burns : journal of the International Society for Burn Injuries
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Seventeen patients with 24 regions received running Y-V-plasties to release burn scar contractures over a 3-year period. The scar band can be completely interrupted and lengthened without the need for undermining and transposition of the skin flaps, circulatory embarrassment of the flaps can be avoided. ⋯ The running Y-V-plasty has unique advantages for the treatment of cord-like or linear burn scar contractures. This approach resulted in shorter hospital stay and allows early mobilization of the involved extremities.
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Although the literature on the psychological consequences of burns is fairly extensive, the evidence gathered by the charity 'Changing Faces' over the last 2 years suggests that the resources allocated to psychological rehabilitation are still far from adequate. This article draws on the personal experience of one of the authors who was in a car fire 24 years ago, reviews some of the literature, briefly looks at the work done by Changing Faces and discusses some of the tasks of the 'burns team'. The authors are aware that generalizations about the consequences of burns are fraught with risk because every fire has its own causes and complications, but it is hoped that the themes expressed here do raise important general points.
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This paper explores the burn agents involved among children admitted to the Hamilton General Hospital Burn Trauma Unit (BTU), and the severity of their burns. Charts were retrospectively reviewed for all burn cases aged 5 years and under admitted to the BTU between January 1986 and mid-November 1990. Descriptive statistics and one-way analysis of variance were employed. ⋯ There was a significant difference in both the mean total body surface area of the burn, and the number of days spent in the BTU, according to the agent involved (P = 0.01 and P = 0.004, respectively). Flame and contact injuries were often the most severe. A disproportionate number of burn victims admitted to hospital are infants and toddlers.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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Two soldiers suffering from electrical burns due to contact of radio receiver antenna with overhead cables are presented. The necessary preventive measures for such injuries are discussed.
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This report indicates that retention fluid from blisters of partial skin thickness burns, which contains relatively large amounts of cytokines and growth factors, stimulates the wound healing process. Although epidermal growth factor (EGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) levels were low, relatively large amounts of cytokines including platelet derived growth factor (PDGF), interleukin (IL-6) and transforming growth factor (TGF) alpha were present and these exercised stimulatory effects on wound healing. ⋯ Various cytokines were shown to coexist in a balanced state in the retention fluids, suggesting that epithelialization might be regulated via a cytokine network operating on the wound surface. The growth of keratinocytes in culture significantly increased with the addition of 1 per cent or more of blister fluid to the medium.