Burns Flashcards
Mortality of burns?
↑ Mortality:
- Older age (> 60 yo)
- > 40% TBSA
- Inhalation injury
*(Age of patient) + (% TBSA) = > 115 = > 80% mortality rate **Mortality doubled w/ burn plus inhalation injury*
Death d/t:
- shock secondary to sepsis
- inhalation injury
- extensive malnutrition
Decreased mortality in burns due to:
- increased access emergenyc care
- better airway mgmt
- better infection contorl
- better nutritional support
- early burn excision/grafting
- treatment of hypermetabolic response with EBP
Anatomy of integumentary system?
- Largest organ
- layers
- epidermis- protective outer surface
- avascular. nourished by dermis
- dermis
- vascular
- heavily innervated
- collagen and elastic fibers
- deep layer dermis- hair follicles, sebaceous gland. afferent nerve endings
- most nerve terminals at dermis and a few penetrate the epidermis
- deep fascia
- deepest layer, dense organized connective tissue layer, seats skin into sq tissue
- subcutaneous
- Function
- protection
- immune function
- fluid/electrolyte homeostasis
- containment
- heat regulationsweating/vasomotor regulation of superficial blood flow
- blood vessels dilate in heat, constrict in cold
- sensation
- vitamin D
- Function
Burn categorization?
Basis: depth and body surface area
- 1st degree- epidermis
- heals spontaneously
- 2nd degree (2 types)
- superficial partial thickness (basement membrane intact)
- skin will generate and grafting not needed
- deep dermal burn (basement membrane not intact)
- need grafting
- superficial partial thickness (basement membrane intact)
- 3rd degree- full thickness burns
- subcutaneous extension
- will need grafting
- 4th degree
- muscle, fascia, bone
What is a first degree burn?
depth? how the wound looks? causes? levelof pain? healing time? scarring?
- Depth- epithelium
- How the wound looks- no blisters; dry, pink
- Causes- sunburn, scald, flash flame
- Level of pain- painful, tender and sore
- Healing time- two to five days; peeling
- Scarring- no scarring, may have discoloration
What is a second degree burn?
depth? how the wound looks? causes? level of pain? healing time? scarring?
Depth- epithelium and top aspect of dermis
How it looks- moist, oozing, blisters,
moist, white, pink to red
Causes
- scalds
- flash burns
- chemicals
Level of pain- very painful
Healing time
- superficial- five to 21 days- no grafting needed
- deep 21-35 days- needs grafting
Scarring:
minimal to no scarring
may have discoloration
Characteristics of third degree burn?
depth? how the wound looks? causes? level of pain? healing time? scarring?
- aka full thickness
- Depth- epithelium and dermis
- how it looks-
- leathery, dry
- no elasticity
- charred
- Causes
- contact with flame, hot surface
- hot liquids
- chemical
- electrical
- Level fo pain
- very little pain or no pain
- Healing time
- small areas may take months to heal
- large areas to be grafted
- Scarring present
What is the rule of nines?
- Head and neck 9% (total)
- Ant 4.5%
- Post 4.5%
- RUE 9%
- Ant 4.5%
- Post 4.5%
- LUE 9%
- Ant 4.5%
- Post 4.5%
- RLE 18%
- Ant- 9%
- Post 9%
- LLE 18%
- Ant- 9%
- Post 9%
- Anterior tunk 18%
- Post trunk 18%
- Perineum 1%
Criteria of major burn?
- 2nd degree burn
- Adults: > 20% TBSA
- Extreme Age: > 10% TBSA
- 3rd degree burn involving:
- Adults: >10% TBSA
- ANY electrical burn
- Burn associated w/ smoke inhalation
- Burns of: (any %)
- Face
- Airway
- Genitalia
Pathophysiology of Burns
2 distinct phases:
1) burn shock phase
2) hypermetabolic state
SIRS response
Every system affected
- Necrotic area & ischemia area
- Potential viability of ischemic area w/ adequate (fluid) resuscitation
- Minutes to hours – burned tissue releases inflammatory and vasoactive mediatorsAll lead to ↑ capillary permeability:
- Ex: Histamine, prostaglandins, kinins, leukotrienes, thromboxane, nitric oxide
- LATER → reperfusion injury (produces…)
- ROS (reactive O2 species)
- Toxic cell metabolites → causing:
- further cellular membrane dysfunction
- propagation of immune response (worsens immune response)
What should we keep in mind in regards to burn zones?
- Burn
- zone of coagulation- area dead
- zone of stasis
- zone of hyperemia
- with adequate resuscitation, zone of stasis and zone of hyperemia blood flow can be restored and maintain viabiilty
- without adequate resus, the zone of coagulation will grow and zone of stasis will become infarcted and won’t be able to regenerate
Electrical burns?
- Devastating injury to bones, BV, muscle, and nerves
- tissue damage based on voltage and duration
- entry and exit are where most energy (damage) are concentrated
- 10-46% with concurrent cardiac arrhythmias; may have damage to the myocardium
- massive muscle damage leads to renal failure secondary to myoglobinemia (from rhabdo)
Symptoms Inhalational injury?
- hoarseness
- sore throat
- dysphagia
- hemoptysis
- tachypnea
- accessory muscle usage
- wheezing
- carbonaceous sputum
- increased CO levles
Types of inhalational burns?
- Most commonly associated with thermal burns
- likely in closed space burn; suspect in pt unconscious at scene
- 3 types
- 1) Upper airway injuries- inhalation of superheated air/steam
- may spare lower airway d/t reflexive VC closure
- 2) Lower airway/parenchymal
- soot particle/chemical inhalation
- acute phase will have significant bronchopasmsbronchodilator therapy always required
- may need epi b/c refractory to other treatment
- 3) metabolic asphyxiation- carbon monoxide, etc.
- 1) Upper airway injuries- inhalation of superheated air/steam
Pathophys of inhalational injury?
- microvascular changes
- heat denatures proteins, activates complements
- causes release of histamine
- histamine causes release of xanthin oxidase
- enzyme involved in breakdown of purine–> uric acid
- ROS released ROS combine with NO–> reactive nitrogen species formed
- causes edema in burned area
- increases microvascular pressure and permeability to protein
- release proinflammatory cytokine and oxygen free radical/interleukin
- attract polymorphonuclear cells to area and neutrophils applify release of oxygen radicals, proteases and other materials
- becomes vicious cycle

Consequence of inhalational injury?
- Coagulopathy
- Bronchospasm
- mucus secretion–> airway obstruction
- airway epithelial exfoliation because of neutrophil migration
- increased airway blood flow
- causes airway wall edema
- upregulation of adhesion molecules, ROS, superoxide
- end up with lots of cellular dysfunction, pulmonary edema, V/Q mismatch, loss of hypoxic vasoconstriction
- causes airway wall edema
- All major burns are going to have change in pulmonary physio even with no direct inhalational injury

Indications for ealy trahceal intubaiton after inhalation injury
- Extensive burn over face/neck
- over s/s of airway obstruction by edema
- inability to protect the airway
- sig toxicity from CO or cyanide
- Respiratory failure
- hemodynamic instability
What is carbon monoxide poisoning?
- Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
- Suspect w/ inhalation injuries
- Detected by measurement of arterial COHgb levels
- Severity of symptoms correlates w/ CO Hgb levels
- > 30% CO Hgb NEED:
- High FiO2 to reduce COHb half life Elimination of COHgb dependent on alveolar O2 pressure (not alveolar ventilation)COHb ½ life
- 21% FiO2 (RA): 4 hrs
- 100% FiO2: 60-90 min
- High FiO2 to reduce COHb half life Elimination of COHgb dependent on alveolar O2 pressure (not alveolar ventilation)COHb ½ life
- > 30% CO Hgb NEED:
- Why problem: Affinity for Hgb: CO > O2
- 200x greater affinity for hemoglobin than O2
- Oxygen-Hgb Dissociation Curve→ shift to left/reduces O2 release
- Affinity of CO:
- Myoglobin > Hgb (greater affinity for myoglobin than Hgb***)
- Binding cardiac myoglobin leads to →
- Myocardial depression
- HypoTN
- Arrythmias
- Metabolic acidosis at cellular level
- D/t O2 delivery being impacted
- FALSELY HIGH pulse ox readings
- Tx:
- Hyperbaric oxygen may be considered if COHgb is > 30%
- If suspected, intubation is recommended until eval can be completed
Symptoms associated w/ specific COHgb levels
Symptoms noted at >20%

What is cyanide poisoning?
Symptoms?
Treatment?
- Blocks intracellular use of O2 → leads to tissue hypoxia
- Binds to the terminal cytochrome of ETC
- Result:
- Hypoxia
- lactic acidosis
- ↑ mixed venous O2 sat (bc not using O2 that’s being delivered)
- Result:
- S/S Neuro:
- loss of consciousness, mydriasis (pupil dilation), seizures
- CV/pulm:
- HoTN
- tachypnea (then →) apnea
- ↑ lactate levels
- ANTIDOTE: Hydroxocobalamin (Vit B12)
- Actively binds cyanide by forming cyanocobalamin
- Directly excreted via the kidney
- Other treatment to combine w/ B12: amyl nitrate, sodium nitrite, sodium thiosulfate
- **anything with furniture → think cyanide poisoning
What are pharmacokinetic changes involved in the burn shock phase? hypermetabolic phase?
- Biphasic response to injury
- Burn shock developed 6-8 hours after injury
- hypermetabolic phase develops in several days to weeks after
- Burn shock phase: generally decreased requirements
- reduction in hepatic and renal blood flow
- prolonged rate of drug distribution
- prolonged onset of clinical effects
- Hypermetabolic: phase: generally increased requirements
- Decreased albumin
- increased alpha 1-acid glycoprotein
- denervation phenomenon with spreading of acetylcholine receptors
- increased nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and decreased function
Anesthetic considerations for patients with burn injuries?
- Fluids
- crystalloid mainstay for early phase
- colloid considered after 24 hours
- Succinylcholine
- succ okay <24 hours
- avoid if >24 hours and up to 18 months after burn injury
- Nondepolarizing muscle relaxants
- increase dose frequency and requirements (2-5 fold)during hyperdynamic phase
- no change in reversal requirements
- Consider rocuronium > 24 hours after burn injury for RSI
- IV anesthetics
- decrease dose early phase
- increase dose hyperdynamic phase
- use multimodal therapy
- Inhalation agents
- Decrease MAC early phase
- Increase MAC hyperdynamic phase
- may be beneficial for inhalation injury (bronchodilator)
- Beta blocker
- attenuate hyperdynamic phase
- Insulin
- attenuate hyperdynamic phase burn injury
CV changes in early vs late phase?
- Early:
- hypovlemia
- decrease cardiac output
- increase SVR
- decrease contractility
- Late
- increase cardiac output
- tachycardia
- systemic HTN -Depleted catecholamine
- decrease SVR
- decrease contractility
Pulmonary changes in burn early vs late phase?
- Early:
- Airway obstruction and edema
- pulmonary edema
- carbon monoxide poisoning
- Late:
- chest wall restriction due to scar formation
- tracheal stenosis due to repeat/prolonged intubation
Renal and hepatic changes in burn injury early vs late phase?
Renal
- Early
- decrease GFR
- myoglobinuria
- Late
- increase GFR
- Increase tubular dysfunction
Hepatic
- Early
- decrease perfusion
- Late
- increase perfusion
- increase metabolism
