Burns : journal of the International Society for Burn Injuries
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To determine the association between potential risk factors and multiple organ failure (MOF) in severe burn adult patients, we performed a secondary analysis of data from the "Inflammation and the Host Response to Injury" database, which included patients from six burn centers in the United States between 2003 and 2009. Three hundred twenty-two adult patients (aged ≥16 years) with severe burns (≥20.0% total body surface area [TBSA]) were included. MOF was defined according to the Denver score. ⋯ TBSA, age, lactate, and Denver score within 24h were associated with the late phase development of MOF. Thus, we have identified key risk factors for the onset of MOF after severe burn injury. Our findings contribute to the understanding of individualized treatment and will potentially allow for efficient allocation of resources and a lower threshold for admission to an intensive care unit, which can prevent the development of MOF and eventually reduce mortality.
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The objective of this study was to evaluate where and when pediatric burn injuries occurred. Furthermore the quality of first aid treatment, ratio of skin grafting and length of hospital stay were evaluated. The patient records of 749 children with acute burns admitted to the University Children's Hospital of Zurich, Switzerland, were retrospectively reviewed over an 11-year period. ⋯ As a result, patients with flame injuries had to stay significantly longer in hospital (flames: 21 days (range: 1-259 days; median: 30; interquartile range (IQR): 30) versus scalds: 7 days (range: 1-130 days; median: 7; IQR: 12); p < 0.001). Furthermore high voltage injuries often resulted in lower-leg amputations (n = 3; 43%). Based on these facts, targets for the improvement of a prevention campaign and the treatment for burned children were named.
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The emotional impact after a child's burn injury is poorly understood. Greater insight into the emotional journey can aid services' ability to meet patients/families' needs. To bridge the gap, this study employed an abbreviated form of Experience Based Co-Design (EBCD) to explore the emotional/experiential aspects of moderate to severe burn injuries in children. ⋯ EBCD facilitated collaborative discussion between researchers, families and health professionals. Families felt empowered to shape the future of burn care and health professionals felt included. Study challenges were mainly in participant engagement and the scheduling of interviews and the focus event. Overall the study outcome was successful in generating ideas for service improvements, and the production of a training video for healthcare professionals.
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Letter Case Reports
The use of MolecuLight™ for early detection of colonisation in dermal templates.