Burns : journal of the International Society for Burn Injuries
-
Severe burns are often associated with high morbidity and unsatisfactory functional and esthetic outcomes. Over the last two decades, stem cells have generated great hopes for the treatment of numerous conditions including burns. The aim of this systematic review is to evaluate the role of stem cell therapy as a means to promote burn wound healing. ⋯ Stem cell therapy appears to exert a positive effect in burn wound healing. There is, therefore, justification for continued efforts to evaluate the use of stem cells as an adjunct to first-line therapies in burns.
-
The objective for this manuscript is two-fold: determine the scope of clinical rehabilitation research involving burn-injured persons and assess whether research outcomes include function, return to needed, and desirable routines. Has this research addressed rehabilitation needs of the burn injured? ⋯ Sixty-four articles were selected for review and 22 employed an intervention. Nine articles were intervention trials that used functional measures. Of the 22 intervention trials 3 (14%) were performed while subjects were inpatients, 9 (41%) while they were outpatients, and 10 (45%) while they were both. There were 67 articles that met inclusion for work-related studies. Fourteen were intervention trials, 9 utilized functional outcomes and 5 used impairment outcomes exclusively. Less than 1% of clinical rehabilitation research addresses burns injury and <1% of the randomized trials in rehabilitation relates to burn injury CONCLUSIONS: There are few studies, few intervention trials and among these, very few that use function or return to community based activity as outcomes for people with burn injury.
-
Mortality in burn intensive care unit (ICU) has been decreasing and treatment appears to be changing. The aims of this study: (1) examine outcome in burn patients, (2) examine changes in ICU indication and (3) explore the influence of a changing case-mix. ⋯ After correction for case-mix, survival improved, mainly in the major burn group. Case-mix shifted towards inhalation injury and watchful waiting. Growth of the watchful waiting group is not necessarily harmful. However, the increase of mechanical ventilation could be. We suggest raising awareness for risks and consequences of mechanical ventilation.
-
Compression therapy (CT) has been an important, but debated, treatment for burn scars. To better understand one source of variation in observed outcomes after CT, an evaluation of CT timing of application is needed. ⋯ The current study identified that although the national reporting of time to garment application is estimated to be between 2-6 weeks at the majority of burn centers including our own, we found our center to be well in excess of 17 weeks. The findings offer an opportunity for local improvement, and raise the possibility of similar incongruity between goals and practice at other centers.
-
To describe the demographics, circumstances, burn wound characteristics and current tertiary centre management of interpersonal violence (IPV) burn victims in the Northern Territory Top End. It is anticipated that such knowledge gained will be of benefit to key stakeholders across the spectrum of injury prevention and management in this region. ⋯ Female and Indigenous persons are at increased risk of IPV burn. The challenges of providing care to the IPV burn population extend beyond burn wound closure.