Burn Management
Dr. Mahmoud AminConsultant Plastic Surgery
K.F.H.H.
Skin AnatomySkin AnatomyEpidermis
Dermis
Hypodermis
Skin AnatomySkin Anatomy
Epidermis
• Outermost layer of the skin• Protective barrier• Moistened by Sebum to make it waterproof and pliable
Skin AnatomySkin Anatomy
Dermis
• Contains blood vessels, glands and nerve endings• Temperature regulation• Sweat mechanism
Functions Of The Skin
• Skin is the largest organ of the body
• Essential for:
- Thermoregulation
- Prevention of fluid loss by evaporation
- Barrier against infection
- Protection against environment provided by sensory information
What is a Burn?What is a Burn?
• An injury to tissue from:
–Exposure to flames or hot liquids–Contact with hot objects–Exposure to caustic chemicals or radiation–Contact with an electrical current
Where do most burns occur?
• 0 - 4 years, from kitchen, bathroom.
• Teenagers, suicide (females).
• 5-74 years, outdoors, kitchen.
• > 75 years, kitchen, outdoors.
Types of burns
When do most burns occur? Seasonal variations
Major causes of burns in the home• Carelessness dealing with hot fluid specially
TEA ????????• Hot water from water heaters set at high
levels above 60° C• Carelessness with cigarettes!!• Cooking accidents• Space heaters• Gasoline• Chemicals
Types of Burn Injury• Thermal burns: Scald burns ( hot fluids ) ,flame,
flash, contact with hot objects.• Chemical burns: necrotizing substances (acids,
alkalis).
• Electrical burns: intense heat from an electrical current
• Smoke & inhalation injury: inhaling hot air or noxious chemicals
• Cold thermal injury: frostbite.
• No one is immune from thermal injury
Thermal flame Burns
Thermal scald Burns
chemical Burns
Chemical burns
Acids AlkalisOrganic
compounds
• Burning will continue as long as the chemical is on the skin• It is important to remove the person from the burning agent
or vice versa.• The latter is accomplished by lavaging the affected area with
copious amounts of water.
chemical Burns
chemical Burns
Factors That Determine Severity:
•Agent•Concentration•Volume •Duration of contact (delay in treatment)
Immediate coagulative necrosis creating an eschar though limiting the spread of burn injury
chemical Burns
acids
chemical Burns
Liquefactive necrosis with continued penetration into deeper tissue resulting in extensive injury
alkalis
chemical Burns
• Dry Chemicals ( Lime):Exothermic reaction with water
– brush away as much of the chemicals as possible– then wash off with large quantities of water
• Liquid Chemicals– wash off with copious amounts of fluid
• Flush for 20-30 minutes to remove all chemicals
chemical Burns
• Phenol– Not water soluble– If available, use alcohol before flushing except in
eyes– If unavailable, use copious amounts of water
Spcial chemical Burns
• Sodium/Potassium metals– Reacts violently on contact with H20
– Requires large amounts of water
• Sulfuric Acid– Generates heat on exposure to H2O (exothermic)
– Wash with soap to neutralize or use copious amounts H2O
• Tar Burns– Use cold packs– Do not pull off, can be dissolved later
Spcial chemical Burns
• Hydrofluric Acid– Most tissue reactive inorganic acid– Fluoride ion penetrates & binds tissue
• Ceases when it combines with Ca or Mg• Burns greater than 5%TBSA – can be life threatening
– Copious irrigation with H2O or Zephiran (benzalkonium chloride)
– Topical calcium gluconate gel or Epsom salts– If pain persists, inject 10% Ca gluconate into site
Spcial chemical Burns
electrical Burns
Occurs when electricity is converted to heat as it travels through tissue .
• The severity depends on:amount of voltage tissue resistancecurrent pathwayssurface area in contact with the current length of time the current flow.
• Divided into:– High voltage – greater than 1000 V– Low voltage – less than 1000 V
• Hands & wrists are common entrance wounds
• Feet are common exit wounds
electrical Burns
• Extremely difficult to evaluate clinically
• Greatest tissue damage occurs under and adjacent to contact points
• Superficial tissues cool more rapidly than the deeper tissue
electrical Burns
• Cutaneous Burn with no underlying tissue damage– No passage of current through patient
• Cutaneous Burn plus deep tissue damage– Involving fat, fascia, muscle and/or bone
• Muscle damage associated with myoglobin release– Urine may be light red to “port wine” colour– Risk of kidney damage
electrical Burns
Management of Electrical Management of Electrical Injury:Injury:
– Examine the urine for pigment – Maintain urine output 75-100 ml/hr until clear– Alkalization of urine– Mannitol 12.5 mg/liter to maintain urine output
Management of Electrical Management of Electrical Injury:Injury: Peripheral Circulation Peripheral Circulation• Remove all rings, watches and jewelry
• Hourly monitoring of skin color, sensation, capillary refill and peripheral pulses
• Surgical correction of vascular compromise
• Decompression by escharotomy or fasciotomy
Electrical Burns in the Pediatric Electrical Burns in the Pediatric PatientPatient
• Low voltage accidents is the most common– Generally household (faulty insulation, frayed
cords, insertion of metal object into wall socket)– Cutaneous injury, no muscle damage
Electrical injury can cause:• Fractures of long bones and vertebra
• Cardiac arrest or arrhythmias--can be delayed 24-48 hours after injury
• Severe metabolic acidosis--can develop in minutes
• Myoglobinuria--acute renal tubular necrosis.
Radiation Burns
Radiation Burns causes
•Ionizing radiation enters a cell and changes it•Unshielded radiation from a radioactive source•Dust debris containing small active particles
Radiation Types
• Alpha radiation -Weak source blocked by paper, skin clothes etc.
• Beta radiation -Greater strength than alpha can penetrate skin and clothes
• Gamma radiation -Very powerful penetrates the entire body blocked by lead shielding
• Neutron radiation is very dangerous not easily blocked by anything
Smoke and Inhalation Injury• Can damage the respiratory
mucosa of the respiratory tract• soot around nares, or signed nasal
hair
Cold Thermal Injury (Frostbite)
Classification of Burn Injury
Severity is determined by:– (WHAT) depth of burn– (WHAT) extend of burn calculated in percent of
total body surface (TBSA)– (WHAT) location of burn– (IS IT ANY) patient risk factors
BURN DEPTH• 11stst Degree Degree - Painful, - erythematous, - blanch to touch - No scarring• 22ndnd Degree Degree * Painful *Superficial Partial Thickness (SPTL) *Deep Dermal(DD)
• 33rdrd Degree Degree i.e. FULL THICKNESS Painless
Erythema
Super.
Dermal
Deep
Dermal
Full
Thickness
1st Degree
Superficial Partial Thickness
Deep dermal
Full thickness
Pathophysiology Local response
Zone of coagulation: irreversible tissue loss due to coagulative necrosis
Zone of stasis: decreased tissue perfusion. Tissue is viable but can deteriorate to necrosis if not adequate resuscitation.
Zone hyperaemia: outermost zone with increased tissue perfusion. Tissue usually recovers in absence of severe infection or severe tissue hypo perfusion
Pathophysiology Systemic response
Pathophysiology Systemic response
Extend of Burns Rule of Nines
Referral Criteria• 2nd or 3rd Degree Burns >10% TBSA• Burns to precious areas :Face,
neck ,Chest ,Perineum ,Hand and Joint regions• circumferential burns• Electrical Burns • Chemical Burns• Inhalation Injury
Pre-hospital Care• Remove from affected area! Stop the
burn!• If thermal burn is large--FOCUS on the
ABC’s
A=airway-check for patency, soot around nares, or signed nasal hair
B=breathing- check for adequacy of ventilation
C=circulation-check for presence and regularity of pulses
Other precautions...
• Burn too large--don’t immerse in water due to extensive heat loss
• Never pack in ice
• Pt. should be wrapped in dry clean material to decrease contamination of wound and increase warmth
Pertinent History– How long ago?– What care has been given?– What is the cause?– Burned in closed space?
• Products of combustion present?• How long exposed?• Loss of consciousness?
– Past medical history?
Care of B U R N SB -B - breathing
UU - urine output
RR - rule of nines
resuscitation of fluid
N -N - nutrition
S S - shock
Management in the emergent phase is...
• Airway management-early nasotracheal or endotracheal intubation before airway is actually compromised (usually 1-2 hours after burn)
• ventilator? ABGs? Escharotomies?
Circulatory Status
– Burns do not cause rapid onset of hypovolemic shock
– If shock is present, look for other injuries– Circumferential burns may cause decreased
perfusion to extremity
Fluid Therapy• 1 or 2 large bore IV lines• Consider Fluid Therapy for
– >10% BSA 30
– >15% BSA 20
– >30-50% BSA 10 with accompanying 20
• LR using Parkland Burn Formula– 4 (2-4) cc/kg/% burn– 1/2 in first 8 hours– 1/2 over 2nd 16 hours
Assessment of adequacy of fluid replacement• Urine output is most commonly used
parameter
• Urine osmolarity is the most accurate parameter
• UOP= 30-50 ml/hr in an adult
Wound Care• Staff should wear disposable hats, gowns,
gloves, masks when wounds are exposed
• keep room warm
• careful hand washing
• any bathing areas disinfected before and after bathing
Wound care continued...
• Treat Burn Wound – Low priority - After ABC’s and initiation of
IV’s– Do not rupture blisters– Cover with sterile dressings
Wound care continued...
• Escharotomy / Fasciotomy
Wound care continued...Excision and Application of skin graft
Drug Therapy• Analgesics and Sedatives
• Antacids
• Tetanus immunization• Antimicrobial agents: Silver sulfadiazine
Nutritional Therapy• Burn patients need more calories & failure
to provide will lead to delayed wound healing and malnutrition.
Clinical Manifestations• Burn wound either heals by primary
intention or by grafting.• Scars may form & contractures.• Mature healing is reached in 6
months to 2 years • Avoid direct sunlight for 1 year on
burn • new skin sensitive to trauma
Scar Management
• Massage
• Compression
• Silicone gel sheeting
• Steroid injection
• Surgery (await scar maturity)
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