In erythema (superficial reddening of the skin), the epidermis is inflamed and presents as hot to touch, reddened and painful area of skin, which sloughs off over a number of days and heals without a scar.Burn classification illustrates the extent of injury based on the structures and properties of the skin affected: The lasting impact of a burn is dependent on the properties of the affected skin. This is most beneficial if delivered immediately post-injury but remains effective up to 3 hours after burn. Reduce the need for surgery and hence a hospital stay.Reduce the negative burn progression resulting in faster healing.Twenty minutes of cooling a burn under running tap water has been shown to 1: biomechanical and microcirculatory) benefits, through removal of heat and oedema, and provision of pain relief to the burn wound, burns first aid is suggested to influence long term genetic (i.e. Apart from the immediate physiological (i.e. Scar-free outcomes in burns are linked to the delivery of timely and appropriate first aid. Recommended steps include delivering first aid to prevent progression of depth and size, compensating for the damaged properties of skin by preventing heat loss, delivery of active warming, adequate analgesia, aseptic wound cleansing and atraumatic wound care regime. Initial treatment aims to support life by following long established primary and secondary trauma surveys. Early intervention is keyĮarly appropriate interventions from the time of injury can influence a burn survivor’s outcome. However, even a small %TBSA burn can have life-changing consequences for the burn survivor, especially when it affects functionally and aesthetically important areas such as a person’s face, eyes and hands. Additional parameters that are taken into consideration which are known to influence morbidity and mortality are age and presence of smoke inhalation injury. size of the burn) alongside the skin and underlying structures affected (i.e. In clinical practice, burn severity is rather pragmatically calculated using the percentage total body surface area (%TBSA) burned (i.e. Each aetiology requires a definitive pathway of care. How can burns be defined?īurns are defined and managed by the mechanism of injury ranging from flame, scald, contact, steam, radiation, electrical, chemical, to friction and frostbite. Moreover, burns cannot be accurately assessed due to their dynamic nature and progression over time, they cannot be restored with a single operation by one team requiring the full armoury of many multidisciplinary specialities, and cannot be said to be fully “cured” due to reconstruction, rehabilitation and ongoing recovery throughout a person’s lifetime. Those who commit their careers to burns set themselves an almost impossible challenge to support an injury, which cannot be easily defined due to its multiple aetiologies and cannot be simply estimated on its severity due to dependency on physical properties like size, depth and their relation to the emotional impact on the burn survivor. The practice of burns care is an extraordinary speciality. She highlights the importance of treating a burn early in order to help support a patient’s journey to a better quality of life. In her latest blog, she considers the factors that lead to scarring and raises awareness of the treatment options available. As the Head of Clinical Services at the Katie Piper Foundation, she is experienced in burn care and service development, leading the successful foundations and growth of the first UK-based residential, specialist burns rehabilitation centre. Kristina Stiles is a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Burns and Plastics.
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