Burns : journal of the International Society for Burn Injuries
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There is a common, well-known and established recommendation to excise burn wounds within 24-72 h in order to mitigate the systemic inflammatory and immunomodulatory response, shorten length of hospitalization through early grafting and optimize patient survival. Despite this apparent consensus, surprisingly few systematic studies have evaluated the actual adherence to this practice and its implications on patient outcomes. In this registry study, we sought to objectify the current status of early burn wound excision, its influencing factors and impact on patient outcomes for all German burn centers. ⋯ Despite apparent consensus among burn physicians, early excision of burn wounds is performed in less than 50% of cases in German burn centers. The relationship of EE to TBSA burned is expected and clinically sound, while a dependence on admission weekday raises administrative and infrastructural questions, especially when patients who receive EE have significantly shorter hospital stays. More analyses from other burn repositories are needed to compare and benchmark the international status quo of early burn wound excision.
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The Burnt Hand Outcome Tool (BHOT) is a comprehensive tool assessing the multiple impacts of hand burn injuries which makes it essential to burn care practice, but is currently only available in English. ⋯ The BHOT-F demonstrates adequate clinimetric properties to be used in clinical practice.