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Questions and Answers
What is the most common type of burn in the 0-4 age group?
What percentage of burn injuries resulted in hospitalization in 2013-2014?
Which of the following is a characteristic of a minor burn?
What is the most common cause of burns in the pre-hospital field?
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What is the percentage of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who made up all burns cases?
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What is the highest rate of burn injury in?
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What is the consequence of cold exposure in burns?
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What is the proportion of chronic wounds among all burns cases?
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What is the primary factor that determines the severity of decontamination?
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What is a potential long-term effect of ionising radiation?
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What is a common manifestation of electrical burn damage in the skeletal system?
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What is the primary mechanism by which electrical energy causes tissue damage?
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What is the primary goal of measuring the surface area of a burn during initial management?
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What is the approximate voltage of a lightning strike?
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What is the recommended approach for managing burns with blisters?
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What is a pharmacological option for managing pain in burn patients?
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Study Notes
Minor Injuries and Burns
Types of Injuries
- Lacerations
- Abrasions
- Avulsions
- Crush injuries
- Bites
- Punctures
- Superficial burns (less than 10% of total body surface area)
- Partial thickness burns
- Full-thickness burns
Epidemiology of Burns
- In 2013-2014, there were 5430 hospitalizations from burn injuries in Australia
- 2/3 of burn victims were male
- Highest rate of burn injury was in the 0-4 age group for both boys and girls
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people made up 9% of all burns cases and had a higher rate of hospitalization than other Australians
Pathophysiology of Burns
- Homeostasis → inflammation → proliferation → remodelling or maturation
Implications of Burns
- Burns >10% (minor burns are less than 10%)
- Burns that do not affect the face, genitals, or are circumferential
- Burns that have not healed within 2-3 weeks
- Burn shock (to be discussed in other units)
- Burns with respiratory involvement
- Older adults or young children with burns
- Acute versus chronic wounds (chronic wounds account for 2%)
- Diabetics are prone to wounds
- Elderly patients often have comorbidities
- Immunocompromised patients are more susceptible to burns
- Sepsis is a possible complication of burns
Classification of Burns
- Thermal burns: Account for the majority of burns, caused by prolonged contact with direct heat
- Cold exposure: Frostbite, can lead to intravascular thrombosis and tissue hypoxia
- Chemical burns: Caused by direct contact with a caustic chemical agent, can cause continuous tissue destruction
- Radiation burns: Include sunburn and radiation exposure, can be deep and lead to cancer due to DNA damage
- Electrical burns: Caused by electrical current flowing through the body, resulting in tissue damage and necrosis
Management of Burns
Non-Pharmacological Management
- Reduce heat and tissue injury by irrigating the burn
- Dust off chemicals for chemical burns
- Leave blisters intact for burns with blisters
- Cover the burn with cling wrap (avoid circumferential constriction)
- Consider using Burn Aid dressing
- Minor burns are painful, consider using nurofen for anti-inflammatory properties
- Consider escalating pain management and fluid requirements based on the percentage of surface area and depth of the burn
Pharmacological Management
- Anti-inflammatories
- Opioids
- Methoxyflurane
- Burn aid
- Topical wound treatments: alginates, antimicrobial hydrofibers, hydrocolloid foams, gels
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Description
This quiz covers types of minor injuries, including lacerations, abrasions, and burns, as well as epidemiology of burn injuries, including data and demographics.
