International journal of burns and trauma
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Length of stay is a standard variable used to evaluate outcomes in burn care. Is the target of 1 day length of stay per 1% total body surface area burned actually being achieved? ⋯ Many factors can contribute to patients' length of hospital stay. It is valuable to identify areas of practice which can be altered to minimise the impact of these factors. For example, consider the use of laser Doppler imaging to help assess burn depth more accurately; this leading to potentially more accurate requirements for surgery or not, early excision of deep burns, improved infection control and use of dressings may all contribute to reduce the length of inpatient stay with a view to improving patient outcome.
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The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of an alternative debridement technology in the treatment of Gustilo & Anderson grade III A and III B open tibia fractures. The objective was to explore whether improvements to the debridement using tangential hydrosurgery (VERSAJET™ Plus Smith & Nephew) could reduce the number of debridement episodes and the days before closure. A pilot scale randomized controlled trial was conducted against conventional surgery. ⋯ There was significant evidence (p < 0.001) that VERSAJET patients required fewer debridement procedures than standard surgical debridement prior to wound closure (ratio standard: VERSAJET = 1.747). The median time to wound closure was 3 days (95% CI 3 days, 5 days) for VERSAJET and 5 days (95% CI 4 days, 8 days) for standard debridement, although the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.275). There were no instances of post-operative infection.
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To investigate the characteristics and causes of self burning among married women in the capital of Iran. ⋯ Married women who attempted to burn their lives were young wives from low socioeconomic status living in a traditional environment. Time and place of the burning showed that they attempt suicide more likely while they are doing daily routines.
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This is a large cohort analysis in severely burned pediatric children to determine whether C-reactive protein (CRP) can be used as a predictor for severe infection or sepsis. Nine-hundred eighteen pediatric burn patients were enrolled in this study. CRP values were measured throughout acute hospitalization and for up to 6 months postburn. ⋯ Significantly higher levels of CRP were found in large burns, in non-survivors, and in females, p<0.05. Using various described models to determine whether CRP levels change before and after an event can predict sepsis or severe infection, we found that CRP cannot predict severe infection or sepsis. Although CRP is a marker of the inflammatory response postburn, CRP fails to predict infection or sepsis in severely burn patients.
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A 3-year old male who sustained 2(nd) and 3(rd) degree burns that covered approximately 60% TBSA presented to a large adult and pediatric verified burn center. On hospital day (HD) 26 of his stay, Candida fungemia was identified by blood culture, delaying operative management until HD 47. On HD 47, after his first operative intervention, the patient developed a persistent metabolic and lactic acidosis. ⋯ When propylene glycol is present systemically, it is metabolized to lactic acid in the liver, which can cause a lactic acidosis. Several commonly used drugs also use propylene glycol as an emulsifier, including IV preparations of lorazepam, pentobarbital, phenobarbital, and phenytoin. In all of these clinical scenarios, including severe burn patients that are being treated with silver sulfadiazine, both lactic acid and propylene glycol levels should be measured to monitor for this rare, potentially serious co-morbidity.