Questions and Answers
What is the most common pattern of necrosis associated with burns?
Which of the following is NOT a potential cause of burns?
What is a significant complication that can arise following a burn injury?
Which of the following describes a full-thickness burn?
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What fluid resuscitation formula is commonly used for burn victims?
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What type of monitoring is crucial for a patient receiving treatment for severe burns?
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Which burn should ideally be treated in a specialized burn unit?
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What method can be used to evaluate the percentage of body surface area affected by burns?
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Which of the following is NOT part of the management for burn injuries?
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What type of damage can result from a burn affecting underlying structures?
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Study Notes
Definition
- Coagulative necrosis is the primary form of tissue necrosis, resulting in cellular swelling, breakdown of organelles, and denaturation of cytoplasmic proteins.
Causes
- Thermal injuries: can be wet (scalds) or dry (flame)
- Chemical burns: involve acids or alkalis
- Cold injuries: frostbite
- Irradiation: damage from radiation exposure
- Electrical injuries: from high-voltage sources
Pathophysiology
- Loss of epithelial cover leads to increased susceptibility to infections.
- Fluid loss can cause shock and renal failure.
- Underlying structures (blood vessels, nerves, muscles, and bone) may sustain damage.
Classification
- Depth classification includes partial thickness (superficial and deep) and full thickness burns.
- Percentage of body surface area affected is assessed using:
- Wallace’s Rule of Nines
- Lund and Browder chart
- Palm Rule for adults
Management
- Initial assessment includes history (burn time, contact time, location) and first aid.
- Examination indicators of severity include facial burns, sooty cough, nasal hair singeing, total body surface area (TBSA), and burn depth.
Resuscitation
- Fluid resuscitation calculated with formulas like Parkland (4 x TBSA x weight).
- Continuous monitoring of urinary output, blood pressure, temperature, and pulse is essential.
- Investigative tests include full blood count (FBC), urea, electrolytes, and microbiological cultures.
Admission Criteria
- Preferably to a burn unit for specialized care.
- Burns to special areas including face, hands, feet, and perineum warrant admission.
- For adults, full thickness burns (FTB) > 10% and partial thickness burns (PTB) > 15%; for children, FTB > 5% and PTB > 7.5% require specialized care.
- Chemical and electrical burns necessitate immediate admission.
Treatment
- Intravenous fluids such as Ringer's lactate are commonly administered.
- Antibiotics are prescribed to prevent or treat infection.
- Analgesia for pain management.
- Vitamins to support healing processes.
- Dressings to protect wounds from infection and trauma.
- Nutritional support to assist recovery.
- Physiotherapy to promote mobility and function.
Complications
- Potential complications include infection, contractures, psychological impacts, disfigurement, scarring, and in severe cases, death.
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Description
This quiz covers the pathophysiology, epidemiology, evaluation, complications, and management of burns as discussed by Dr. AI Abubakar. You will explore various causes of burns including thermal, chemical, and electrical factors. Assess your understanding of tissue necrosis and the implications of burn injuries.
