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DNB Pediatrics
Fellow in PICU &
NICU
50% of burns - pediatric population,
17%- < 5 years
Infants and children increased susceptibility to death-
as they have limited physiologic reserves & the
patterns of injury are very different from adults.
Types of Burn Injuries
Scald Burns
More likely child abuse
< 5 years
Thorough history should include the type and
consistency of the causative liquid.
oil and thick soups - higher heat capacity and more
viscouscause longer contact at higher
temperatures more damage
water of 140° C – deep burns in 3 seconds of contact &
160° C - 1 second
Abuse - glove or stocking like, and/or symmetric
burns to the buttocks, legs, or perineum.
Concomitant fractures and retinal hemorrhages,
delays in seeking treatment or inconsistencies in
the patient history.
full evaluation by social services with referral to
appropriate state or government agencies regardless
of the depth or extent of burn.
Thermal Burns
> 5 years.
~ 50% of all burn admissions.
flame or contact with hot objects
90% - minor and outpatient management with good
outcomes.
larger burns - mortality influenced by - size, age , +/-
inhalation injury.
extent of soft tissue injury duration of exposure ,
presence and type of clothing material
Electrical Burns
Rare (2% - 3%) but devastating
Mejority - electrical cords and outlets,
Minority - lightening.
AC > DC
AC -cyclic flow of electricity tetanic contractions
increased tissue damage
Children propensity to chew on cords or
insert objects into outlets.
Wet or moist skin, including the mucous
membranes around the mouth, has negligible
resistanceconsiderable soft tissue trauma.
Nerves, blood vessels, and muscles - least resistance,
as compared to bone, fat, and tendons.
lack of overt skin damage may mask more significant
underlying soft-tissue damage.
Chemical Burns
Most common - strong bases in common household
products.
Alkali drain cleaners (sodium hydroxide) –
denature cutaneous lipids.
Severity - type and concentration & duration of
exposure.
Initial treatment - copious irrigation with tepid water
for > 15 minutes.
Never neutralize the acid or base as exothermic reaction
worsens tissue injury.
Depth & Extent of Burn injury
Superficial Burns/First degree burns :
significant pain, erythematous changes, lack of
blistering.
Damage to epidermis only, sparing the dermis and
dermal structures.
blanch on examination & heal within 2 to 3 days after
the damaged epidermis desquamates.
eg. - sun burns.
Scarring is rare
Superficial Partial-Thickness Burns / 2nd degree burns
entire epidermis and superficial dermis.
fluid-containing blisters at the dermal-epidermal junction.
After debridement, the underlying dermis is erythematous,
wet-appearing, painful, and blanches with pressure.
deeper dermis is left undamaged - heal within 2 weeks
without hypertrophic scarring.
No need for skin grafting
Deep Partial-Thickness Burns / 2 nd degree burns
clinically similar to third-degree burns.
As blood vessels of the dermis are partially damaged
blister base - mottled pink and white appearance
do not easily blanch ,
less painful than superficial burns due to nerve
injury.
Treatment - excision and grafting.
Need surgical intervention,
May develop hypertrophic scars and/ or contractures.
Full-Thickness Burns /3 rd degree burns
complete involvement of all skin layers and require
definitive surgical management.
white, cherry red, brown, or black in color, and do not
blanch with pressure.
dry and often leathery
typically insensate because of superficial nerve
injury.
Fourth-degree burns - full-thickness + the
underlying subcutaneous fat, muscle,
and tendons.
May need amputationand/or extensive
reconstruction with grafting.
Zones of Injury
General Principles
Objective - to avoid infection and protect the wound from
further injury.
Small (<2 cm) blisters - left intact, larger blisters and full-
thickness wounds should be debrided and covered with a
topical agent.
Debridement - under general anesthesia or deep
sedation.
Ketamine - profound cutaneous analgesia.
Even in the absence of debridement, burns are painful, and
patients usually require opioid analgesia.
Agents that may cause additional tissue damage
are avoided,
circulation of the wound is protected by avoiding
hypotension, hypoxemia, and hypothermia and by
excluding the use of adrenergic agents.
Maintain sterile precautions & environment.
Surgical Care
Excision and closure – reduce the extent of injury & risk of
wound infection.
Tangential excision until viable tissue is identified
Advantage - best cosmetic and functional result,
Disadvantage- bleeding
Deep excision of the wound to the level of the fascia -
minimal blood loss and is used when wounds are deep,
full thickness, and infected, or when large areas are
excised.
The cosmetic results are poor, and lymphatic drainage
is impaired after this type of excision.
usual approach- first 3-4 days after injury .
Autografts & Allografts
Integra Life Sciences Corporation provides a
temporary epidermis as an outer layer of silastic and
an inner layer matrix for the growth of a neodermis.
This non antigenic matrix provides a scaffold for a new
dermis upon which a thin epidermal graft may be
placed
Invasive infection:
The criteria for diagnosis by American Burn
Association guidelines,
1 )Inflammation of the surrounding uninjured skin
2 )Histologic examination that shows invasion by the
infectious organism into adjacent viable tissue
3 )Isolation of an organism from the blood in the absence
of other infection
4 ) Signs of the systemic inflammatory response syndrome
(such as hyperthermia, hypothermia, leukocytosis,
tachypnea, hypotension, oliguria, or hyperglycemia at a
previously tolerated level of carbohydrate intake) and
mental status changes
Other Infections
the associated immunocompromise status may set
the stage for infection at any site.
high incidence of urinary tract infections and
pneumonia, appendicitis, but often do not present
with classic features due to a suppressed
inflammatory response.
A high index of suspicion is necessary to detect these
infections.
Sinusitis
d/t nasogastric feeding tubes and nasotracheal intubation,
especially in patients with inhalation injury.
Treatment - removal of all tubes and catheters, initiation of
appropriate antibiotic therapy, and drainage.
Bacterial Endocarditis :
Immune compromise, recurrent bacteremia, and the
frequent use of central venous catheters in the patient
with burn injury are risk factors
. Antibiotic therapy is based upon blood culture
results and should continue for 4 - 6 weeks
Hypermetabolism
Key Points