Burns : journal of the International Society for Burn Injuries
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First aid cooling for burn injuries improves re-epithelialisation rates and reduces scarring. The objective of this research was to explore and describe barriers and facilitators to the provision of optimal first aid for acute burn patients in the prehospital setting. Emergency medical service (EMS) clinicians in Queensland were invited via email to participate in a survey designed to assess experience, knowledge, and attitudes regarding provision of optimal burn first aid in the prehospital setting (N = 4500). ⋯ The most common of these was identified as pain. Similarly, free text responses (n = 276) regarding facilitators of burn first aid formed eight dimensions with 21 subcategories - most commonly fast and effective pain relief. Factors influencing burn first aid provision in the prehospital setting were wide-ranging and varied, with pain identified as the most prominent.
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Burns are a major global healthcare concern, often complicated by the presence of bacteria such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the wounds. Silver-based dressings are commonly used in the treatment of burns but can cause skin irritation and delay healing time. Medical-grade honey (MGH) provides an interesting alternative. ⋯ Furthermore, clinical cases illustrated the effectiveness of MGH therapy in infected burns. Overall, L-Mesitran Soft had similar effects as silver-based products on bacterial load and epidermal regeneration, but outperformed Medihoney. Therefore, supplemented MGH could be used as an effective alternative to silver-based dressings for P. aeruginosa-infected burns.
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Despite the advantages of using deceased donor skin in the treatment of burns, it is not easy to obtain these grafts due to low tissue donation rates. In order to discover the social representations of family members of organ donors regarding skin donation and to analyze the convergences and divergences of these representations between family members who consented and those who refused to allow skin to be donated for transplantation, we conducted interviews with 20 family members of organ donors in a situation of brain death. ⋯ This study shows that in the opinion of family members who consented and those who did not authorize skin donation, the consideration contains both positive and negative representations, which can have different weights and influence decision-making. This study also highlights, in an unprecedented way, the representation of the animalization of the donor, which can be a reason for the refusal to allow skin to be donated.
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Observational Study
Predictors of mortality following electrical and lightning injuries in Malawi: A decade of experience.
Electrical injuries can be devastating, and data is lacking in low-resource settings. We aimed to identify predictors of mortality following electrical and lightning injuries (ELI) in Malawi. ⋯ ELI confers more than 13 times higher odds of mortality than burn injuries in Malawi, with mortality risk increasing over time. More efforts are needed to prevent electrical hazards and implement timely interventions for patients with ELI.
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Organ dysfunction and failure increase the morbidity and mortality following major burn. Alteration of liver morphology and function is common following major burns; however, it has not received much attention. In this study we have assessed the impact of thermal burn on liver in relation with mortality. ⋯ There is a correlation between altered liver morphology and function with mortality among severely burnt patients however liver volume did not show statistical significance. A decreasing trend of liver dysfunction parameters and hepatomegaly following burn is associated with good prognosis.