Burns : journal of the International Society for Burn Injuries
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Pruritus, a common, chronically disabling condition is often refractory to treatment. The pruritus sensation is mediated in the spinal cord and post-burn pruritus is considered a form of neuropathic pain. We investigated cold pack therapy as a treatment modality for post-burn pruritus. ⋯ Cold pack therapy, a non-invasive, non-pharmacological treatment modality significantly reduces post-burn pruritus and could be useful in burn patients.
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Controlled Clinical Trial
Influence on clinical parameters of depressomassage (part I): The effects of depressomassage on color and transepidermal water loss rate in burn scars: A pilot comparative controlled study.
Depressomassage is a non-invasive massage technique using a mechanical suction device that is used in the treatment of traumatic or burn scars. Since color and transepidermal water loss (TEWL) are respectively the most important physical and physiological characteristic of hypertrophic scar formation, we wanted to investigate the effects of depressomassage on the recovery of color and TEWL in burn scars compared to the traditional physiotherapy. ⋯ In practice, precise indications to begin depressomassage have to be kept in mind. Perhaps other scar abnormalities such as decreased elasticity, increased thickness, excessive pain or itching could be sufficient reasons to begin depressomassage and should be assessed.
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Differing views on benefits and disadvantages of parental presence during their child's wound care after burn injury leave the topic surrounded by controversies. This study aimed to describe and explain parents' experiences of their presence or absence during wound care. ⋯ Findings emphasize the distressing nature of wound care procedures. Despite the distress, parents expressed their preference to be present. The abilities to control their own emotions and to be responsive to the child's needs were considered beneficial for both the child and the parent. Importantly, being present increased a sense of control in parents that helped them to cope with the situation. For parents not present, the professional was the intermediary to provide information about the healing process that helped parents to deal with the situation. In sum, the proposed model provides avenues for professionals to assess parents' abilities and needs on a daily basis and to adequately support the child and parent during wound care.
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The objective was primarily to identify risk factors for bloodstream infections (BSI) caused by different pathogens. ⋯ A greater TBSA and ABSI were associated with a significantly higher incidence of BSIs caused by Pseudomonas sp., Enterococcus sp. and Candida sp.
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Comparative Study
The role of preliminary hospitals in the management of a mass burn casualty disaster.
The Formosa Fun Coast explosion is an internationally-known event that occurred in Taiwan on June 27th, 2015. The blast involved 495 casualties in total, with 253 patients receiving 2nd degree or deeper burns on greater than 40% of the total body surface area (TBSA). Questions were raised regarding whether these victims were sent to the appropriate hospitals or not. Therefore, we analyzed the effect of the initial admission destination in this study. ⋯ Our preliminary findings suggest that local hospitals are capable of providing high-quality acute care to mass casualty burn victims. Our results suggest that patients with suspected limb ischemia should be rapidly transferred to a regional burn center to ensure optimal care. Systemic pre-planning such as employing telemedicine and personnel collaboration, should be considered by the administration to maximize the function of preliminary hospitals in burn care.