Journal of burn care & research : official publication of the American Burn Association
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Scalds are the most common type of burn in children, and one way to treat them is with xenografts with no topical antimicrobials in line with the recommendations of a recent review. However, this treatment has not been examined in detail. Our aim was to describe the treatment of such children when biological dressings (xenografts) were used without local antimicrobials. ⋯ Median (IQR) length of stay/TBSA% was 0.7 (0.4-1.0). Treatment with xenografts was associated with median length of stay/TBSA% <1 and low pain scores. Despite a high rate of prescription of systemic antibiotics, most were for reasons other than wound infection.
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Hospital-acquired (HA) methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a leading cause of HA infections and a significant concern for burn centers. The use of 2% chlorhexidine-impregnated wipes and nasal mupirocin significantly decreases the rate of HA-MRSA in adult intensive care units. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of universal decolonization on the rate of MRSA conversion in an American Burn Association verified adult and pediatric burn center. ⋯ The incidence rate of MRSA was significantly decreased after the implementation of the decolonization protocol (11.8 vs 1.0 per 1000 patient days, P < .001). Secondary to the loss of the skin barrier and suppressed immune systems, burn patients are at greater risk for invasive infection leading to severe complications and death. The prevalence of HA-MRSA at our institution's burn center was significantly decreased after the implementation of a universal decolonization protocol.
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Hypertrophic scar after burn injury is a significant problem. Previous studies have examined the roles for decorin, interleukin-1β, and transforming growth factor-β1 in hypertrophic scar formation locally, but few have considered their systemic influence. The authors conducted a pilot study to examine whether serum levels of these molecules could predict hypertrophic scar formation. ⋯ Decorin up-regulated the expression of toll-like receptor 4 and C-X-C receptor 4 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, and interleukin-1β up-regulated fibroblast production of C-X-C ligand 12. Transforming growth factor-β1 up-regulated, and interleukin-1β down-regulated, the production of profibrotic cytokines, collagen, and myofibroblast differentiation. The model predicting hypertrophic scar formation is supported by clinical results and limited in vitro experiments.
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Observational Study
Infrared Thermal Imaging Has the Potential to Reduce Unnecessary Surgery and Delays to Necessary Surgery in Burn Patients.
Clinical distinction between superficial and deep burns is problematic. The authors determined whether an infrared thermal imaging (IRTI) camera could predict burn depth. Burn depth was assessed by an experienced surgeon, and the burns were imaged with a portable, lightweight IRTI camera that measures heat emission from the skin using long infrared wavelengths (7.5-13 μm). ⋯ Using the ultimate burn depth as the criterion standard, the overall accuracy of IRTI was considerably higher than that of clinical assessment; 87.2% (95% CI: 71.8-95.2) vs 54.1% (95% CI: 37.1-70.2). Any decrease in temperatures between days 1 and 2 was predictive of a deep wound. Our results suggest that thermography using IRTI is more accurate than clinical examination in predicting burn depth and could potentially reduce unnecessary surgery as well as reduce delays to surgery when necessary.
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Humanitarian organizations care for burns during crisis and while supporting healthcare facilities in low-income and middle-income countries. This study aimed to define the epidemiology of burn-related procedures to aid humanitarian response. In addition, operational data collected from humanitarian organizations are useful for describing surgical need otherwise unmet by national health systems. ⋯ A diverse skill set was required. Unmet humanitarian assistance needs increased US$400 million dollars in 2013 in the face of an increasing number of individuals affected by crisis and a growing surgical burden. Given the high volume of burn procedures performed at MSF-OCB projects and the resource intensive nature of burn management, requisite planning and reliable funding are necessary to ensure quality for burn care in humanitarian settings.