Burns Flashcards
thermal burns are defined as
direct/indirect contact with flame hot liquid or steam
what does the severity of a thermal burn depend upon
contact time
temperature of object
type of insult
what causes chemical burns
acids
bases
industrial accidents
assaults
what are chemical burns more likely to cause
full-thickness damage
what influences the severity of a chemical burn
alkaline worse than acidic
contact time
chemical concentration
amount of chemical
considering contact time of chemical burns, what is something to keep in mind
burning can continue until removed/diluted
– need to thoroughly irrigate for 20-30 min
electrical burns are caused by
low and high voltage currents
explain the entrance vs exit wound in an electrical burn
entrance = depressed and charred
exit = larger and explosive
what are electrical burns associated with
MSK dysfunction
- fx and muscle necrosis
compare low and high voltage burns
high = more damaging
low = relatively less damage
compare AC and DC burns
AC more severe
factors influencing electrical burns
AC > DC
contact time
voltage
why is classification of burns different? what do you do instead?
not uniform in depth
– describe level of tissue involvement
how long will chemical burns take to develop
24-72 hrs
what are islands of a burn and what is their significance
areas not as deep as the deepest portion
– infection in this area can convert the depth of tissue involvement
superficial burn depth includes
epidermis
standard for determining burn depth
laser doppler imaging
superficial partial thickness burn depth includes
epidermis and papillary dermis
deep partial burn depth includes
epidermis and dermis
full thickness burn depth includes
through hypodermal region
subdermal thickness burn depth includes
all the way to bone, capsule or ligament
examples of superficial burns
first degree burns
- sunburn
how will superficial burns present
dry
bright red/pink
blanches upon pressure
what will superficial burns not have
dermal vessel damage
blistering