Journal of burn care & research : official publication of the American Burn Association
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Observational Study
Reducing the Indication for Ventilatory Support in the Severely Burned Patient: Results of a New Protocol Approach at a Regional Burn Center.
Initial management of the severely injured routinely includes sedation and mechanical ventilatory support. However, nonjudiciously applied mechanical ventilatory support can itself lead to poorer patient outcomes. In an attempt to reduce this iatrogenic risk, a standardized, in-house, five-point protocol providing clinical guidance on the use and duration of ventilation was introduced and analyzed, and the impact on patient outcomes was assessed. ⋯ Our five-point protocol was safe and easily translated into clinical practice. In the authors experience, this protocol significantly reduced the ventilatory period in severely injured. Furthermore, this study suggests that many injured may be over-treated with routine ventilation, which carries accompanying risks.
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Despite increasing evidence that burn injuries can result in multiple psychological sequelae, little is known about the long-term psychosocial adjustment to burns sustained in a major bushfire. The aim of the present study was to assess long-term psychological distress and health-related quality of life in Australian burns patients as a result of the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires. Eight male and five female burns patients with a mean age of 53.92 (SD = 11.82) years who received treatment at a statewide burns service participated in the study. ⋯ Notwithstanding, some patients maintained high levels of distress throughout or experienced an increase in distress at a later stage of recovery. The results point to the importance of psychosocial screening to identify distress early. Follow-up assessments are crucial to diagnose individuals with chronic or late onset of distress.
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Major injuries commonly cause long-standing functional impairment. The authors investigated the levels of and predictors for functioning, disability, and social adaptation 6 months after a burn injury. The overall level of functioning at 6 months postburn was assessed among 87 (81%) of the 107 consecutive acute adult burn patients (mean TBSA 9.7%) admitted to the Helsinki Burn Centre during an 18-month period. ⋯ Six months after a burn injury, some difficulties in social and occupational functioning remained. Level of functioning was predicted strongly and consistently by mental disorders, particularly depression. Length of stay and hand burns also predicted functioning, more in a clinician's evaluation (SOFAS) than in self-reported measures (SDS and SASS).