Burns : journal of the International Society for Burn Injuries
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Multicenter Study
National multicentric study on the incidence of alcohol burns during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Burns are traumatic wounds that occur when skin is exposed to an amount of energy greater than its maximum dissipation capacity. Alcohol, because it fuels flames and its vapor can cause an explosion, is one of the most common causal agents of burns in Brazil. In late 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic caused a sudden and substantial increase in the use of 70% alcohol (w/v) for antisepsis. ⋯ The predominant population in this study was male, had a lower level of education, resided in the northeast region and had an occupation carried out in a domestic environment. The latter may reflect the population's longer stay at home due to social constraints caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. There were a large number of second and third degree burns and, as a consequence, a high number of cases in which surgical treatment was required.
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Burn scars are a major clinical sequelae of severe burn wound healing. To effectively establish a successful treatment plan and achieve durable results, understanding the pathophysiology of scar development is of utmost importance. ⋯ Ablative fractional resurfacing combined with local tissue re-arrangements is a promising approach to address the underlying forces leading to hypertrophic burn scarring. To achieve an optimal outcome, it is essential to recognise and address the origin of the pathology when treating burn scars. Ablative fractional laser resurfacing allows a different scar approach as it is not limited to one surgical site and thus enables for effective treatment at the cause of the pathology.
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The iron status of burn patients is poorly understood, limited by difficulty interpreting conventional iron studies in the context of the acute phase response triggered by critical illness. The aim of this study was to evaluate the iron status of patients with burn anaemia using recent post-operative guidelines. ⋯ Application of recent guidelines for interpretation of conventional iron studies in patients with inflammatory states may improve the identification of iron deficiency in burn patients. Iron deficiency may be an under-recognised and under-treated contributor to burn anaemia.