Burns : journal of the International Society for Burn Injuries
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Effects of community-based exercise in children with severe burns: A randomized trial.
To counteract long-lasting muscle break down, muscle weakness, and poor physical fitness resulting from severe burns, we recommend a 12-week in-hospital exercise training rehabilitation program. Unfortunately, this in-hospital training program requires time away from home, family, school or work. This study was undertaken to evaluate an alternative exercise rehabilitation strategy involving a 12-week community-based exercise training rehabilitation program (COMBEX) carried out at or near the patient and caretaker's home. ⋯ Both EX and COMBEX are efficacious in improving lean mass, strength, and cardiopulmonary capacity in severely burned children.
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Since opening its doors in 1962, the Parkland Burn Center has played an important role in improving the care of burned children through basic and clinical research while also sponsoring community prevention programs. The aim of our study was to retrospectively analyze the characteristics and outcomes of pediatric burns at a single institution over 35 years. ⋯ Over 35 years in North Texas, the median burn size and incidence of pediatric burn admissions has decreased. Concomitantly, length of stay and mortality have also decreased.
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Pressure therapy garments apply pressure to suppress the growth and flatten hypertrophic scars caused by serious burns. The amount of pressure given by the pressure garments is critical to the treatment adherence and outcomes. In the present study, a biomechanical model for simulating the pressure magnitudes and distribution over hand dorsum given by a pressure glove was developed by using finite element method. ⋯ Through validation, the simulated contact pressure showed a good agreement with the experimental interface pressure measurement. The simulation model can be used to predict and visualise the pressure distribution exerted by a pressure therapy glove onto hand dorsum. It can provide information for optimising the material mechanical properties in pressure garment design and development, give a clue to understand the mechanisms of pressure action on hypertrophic scars and ultimately improve the medical functions of pressure garment.
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Civilians living amid conflict are at high-risk of burns. However, the epidemiology of burns among this vulnerable group is poorly understood, yet vital for health policy and relief planning. To address this gap, we aimed to determine the death and disability, healthcare needs and household financial consequences of burns in post-invasion Baghdad. ⋯ Civilian burn in Baghdad is epidemic, increasing in frequency and associated with household financial hardship. Challenges of healthcare provision during prolonged conflict were evidenced by a high mortality rate and likelihood of disability after burn. Ongoing conflict will directly and indirectly generates more burns, which mandates planning for burn prevention and care within local capacity development initiatives, as well as humanitarian assistance.
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There is an increasing trend of self-inflicted burns noted in the literature, often seen in patients with complex psychosocial backgrounds. These patients are challenging to manage as the recovery from the acute burn may be compounded by difficult rehabilitation and suboptimal coping strategies. We aimed to review patients presenting to our burns unit with self-inflicted burns, the management strategies and examine the complexities surrounding their management. We assessed patient outcomes with a particular interest in psychosocial support given. ⋯ Self-inflicted burns patients would benefit from a more complex pathway of treatment as their management aims to achieve not only physical health but also psychological health. They would benefit from enhanced care to manage the acute burn but also psychiatric support to ensure patients do not re-offend.