Burns : journal of the International Society for Burn Injuries
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Thermal injury is a leading cause of unintentional pediatric trauma morbidity and mortality. ⋯ Pediatric burn hospitalizations and burn-related mortality have decreased over time. The increases in transfers and admissions to hospitals with high pediatric burn volumes suggest increasing regionalization of care.
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To evaluate the impact of the implementation of a best practice infection prevention and control bundle on healthcare associated burn wound infections in a paediatric burns unit. ⋯ The implementation of an infection prevention and control bundle was effective in reducing healthcare associated burn wound infections, pneumonia and sepsis within our paediatric burns unit. Urinary tract infections remain a challenge for future improvement.
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Allogeneic and xenogeneic skin are recognized as the best coverings for skin burn wounds, but currently face a supply shortage. To solve this problem, our research group developed a standardized manufactured hydrogel dressing based on a new type of highly bioactive recombinant human collagen. ⋯ During the observation period, the therapeutic effect of the RHCH developed by our group on partial-thickness burn wounds was not significantly different from that of gene-transferred xenogeneic skin. Thus, our designed RHCH shows potential for clinical use to treat burn wounds on the skin.
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Previous studies about burns mortality are often exclusively based on hospital and burn centre data. National population-based reports on this topic are rather limited. The aim of this study was to analyse sex- and age-specific mortality rates of burns in Spain during the period 1979-2018. ⋯ Burns mortality rates in Spain have been decreasing during the last decades. Promotion of primary prevention measures should continue.
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Burn survivors experience myriad associated symptoms such as pain, pruritus, fatigue, impaired motor strength, post-traumatic stress, depression, anxiety, and sleep disturbance. Many of these symptoms are common and remain chronic, despite current standard of care. One potential novel intervention to target these post burn symptoms is transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). tDCS is a non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) technique that modulates neural excitability of a specific target or neural network. ⋯ Based on our review and results in other populations suffering from similar symptoms as patients with burn injuries, three main areas were selected: the prefrontal region, the parietal area and the motor cortex. Based on the importance of the prefrontal cortex in the emotional component of pain and its implication in various psychosocial symptoms, targeting this region may represent the most promising target. Our review of the neural circuitry involved in post burn symptoms and suggested targeted areas for stimulation provide a spring board for future study initiatives.