Medical

Published on: February 20, 2013

Third Degree Burns in Pregnancy (part II)

The incidance of burns during pregnancy are more common in developing countries then developed countries. Treatment of burns during pregnency may not be easy as during treatment both the wellbeing of the mother and the baby has to be taken into consideration. Topical and systemic treatment of burns in pregnant women may cause serious effects on the health of the fetus including fetal malformations.

Treatment of burns in pregnant women may include:

Monitoring of the mother and the fetus by frequent ultrasounds, fetal heart monitoring, measuring blood clotting factors on a daily bases and other tests as needed.

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Published on: February 6, 2013

Third Degree Burns in Pregnancy (part I)

By Larry Kramer

Anyone is susceptable for burn injuries including pregnant women. The incidence of burns during pregnancy is higher in developing countries compared to developed countries. Most of the burns happening in pregnant women are accidental and are caused by different causes. The most common causes are scalding followed by flame injury. Other causes my include chemical, flash, electrical and friction burns.

The management of burns in pregnant women is not easy, it requires a multidisciplinary approch with close monitoring of fetal and maternal well being. For the mother the aim of the treatment is to restore full range of function and to minimize damages as much as possible. For the fetus the aim of treatment is reach full term being healthy without any congenital abnormalities. Treatment is more difficult in the first trimester of pregnancy because of thr risk of abortion. When the mother is at or near term, delivery should be done as soon as possible.

Minor burns may have no effect on the course of pregnancy but burns of at least 35% of total body surface area can induce early delivery and/or fetal loss. When a burn injury happen in a pregnant lady and depending on the severity of the burn there will be multiple body reactions among which are the following:

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Published on: November 29, 2012

Burn Wound healing and Laughter

By Larry Kramer

Laughter is free, it has many positive effects on the physical and mental health and no known negative side effects. Laughter binds people together, infact it’s the shortest distance between two people.

A team of researches from the University of Leeds, UK, found laughing habits in people suffering from wounds can accelerate healing compared to using advanced technology.

The effect of laughter may include:

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Published on: November 27, 2012

Third Degree Burns and Keloid Scar (Part II)

By Larry Kramer

There is no treatment that can cure and remove keloid scars 100 percent. Patients who have family history of keloid scar or previous history of keloid scar have high possibility of keloid recurrence more then others. Keloid scar may be treated by one or more of the following methods:

Surgery:

It may be the most effective way to remove large keloids. Surgery can be used by itself or with other treatment methods to decrease the possibility of recurrence as there is a possibility of keloid recurrerence an example is using surgery and steriod injection into the keloid scar or using surgery and other treatment methods to decrease recurrence rate.

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Published on: November 6, 2012

Endotrachial Intubation

By Larry Kramer

It is a medical procedure in which a tube is placed into the trachea to open the airway, remove blockages and to provide oxygen, medication or anesthesia. It may be attached to a machine called a respirator that will breathe for the patient while the tube is still in place. Airway control and mechanical ventilation are often necessary in the treatment of severe burn injuries.

Swelling in the upper airway is a major concern in any person with a burn injury. Swelling may lead to acute respiratory insufficiency, in children the airway is smaller therefore they are more prone to develop airway obstruction from burn. Swelling and damage to the airway may be caused by inhalation of the gases and fumes caused by combustion and/or the effect of heat on the tissue (see smoke inhalation). The extent of the damage to the airways is not directly related to the severity of skin burns and in some cases it may become the greatest therapeutic problem in a gravely burned patient.

Although obstruction of the upper airways caused by edema (swelling of the tissue) may happen acutely, it may not be present until the edema is sufficient enough to produce clinical evidence of impaired airway patency which may take 12-18 hours. Therefore it is important to monitor the patient for any difficulty in respiration even though the patient may not have any problems initially.

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Published on: October 9, 2012

Visiting a Burned Patient In The Hospital

By Larry Kramer

Burned patients need all the support they can get from family, relatives and friends. A burn injury is one of the most painful traumas a patient can ever experience.

One of the major concerns and challenges a burned patient faces is infection, (see wound infection). Burn centers have strict guidelines regarding infection control, depending on the patient’s condition. When visiting a patient with burns, you should know the visiting hours and the number of visitors allowed which may be limited depending on the patient’s condition.

Visitors may be required to wear a gown, mask, cap and gloves when visiting the patient. The nurse will give you instructions on the protective clothing to decrease the risk of infection. Look for any signs outside the patient’s door that will tell you if you have to wear these protective garments when entering the patient’s room. It’s important to follow these instructions. You have to wash your hands prior to entering and after leaving the patient. Avoid visiting the patient if you have an active cold or an infection and inform the nurse about it if you do visit.

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Published on: October 3, 2012

Tracheostomy

By Larry Kramer

It is a surgical procedure, in which a hole is created through the front of the neck and into the windpipe (trachea). A breathing tube (trach tube) is placed directly into the trachea through the opening to help the patient with breathing and to remove secretions from the lungs.

The condition that necessitated tracheostomy and the overall health of the patient will determine how long the tracheostomy will stay. A tracheostomy is usually temporary but some patients may need them for a longer period of time or even permanently.

Patients of all ages may need tracheostomy. It can be done on an emergency basis such as when there is trauma to the neck or on an elective basis. The type of anesthesia used for the procedure is general anesthesia.

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Published on: September 20, 2012

Intentional Burns

By Larry Kramer

Intentional burns are less frequent than accidental burns but can happen. They are either burns that are caused by the person to him/herself or burns caused by one person to another one. Children and elderly are susceptible to abuse by burns. In children scald and contact burn injuries are the most common type of intentional burn injury. These injuries have a higher death rate than accidental burns and require a longer stay period in the hospital. Elderly cases are reported with much less frequency than children due to embarrassment or fearing that the person who is causing the injury will repeat it again. Things that raise a suspicion of abuse are:

The story given doesn’t go along with the injury that happened.
Giving different explanations about how the accident happened.

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Published on: August 30, 2012

People’s Reaction To Scars

By Larry Kramer

One of the challenges that a burn survivor faces after discharge is the reaction of society to his/her scars. According to George Pessotti a burn survivor and the author of Reasons for Living, “most people mean no harm when they stare or ask questions. They’re simply curious; they want to know what happened to you for different reasons”

The face is the mirror of the person, the first thing that most people look at when they see a person is the face, and it gives clues about the person like background, age and mood. Scarring of the face after a burn injury may lead to psychological and social difficulties for the patient.

Burn survivors deal with scars differently, each will cope with it in his/ her own way, some will try to move on with life and forget what happened as much as they can. Others will isolate themselves from the community, live their lives in the shadow or turn to drugs and alcohol.

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Published on: August 28, 2012

Dermabrasion

By Larry Kramer

Is a surgical procedure involving the removal (sanding) of the damaged top layer of the skin using a specialized instrument called a dermabrader. This procedure is used for scars as well as other skin conditions such as wrinkles and tattoos.

Dermabrasion improves the appearance of the scar or other skin abnormality as a new layer of skin will replace the skin that has been treated. This procedure won’t entirely remove the scar or other abnormality but it will improve its appearance by softening the edges of the scar or other lesion.

The procedure can be done in a surgeon’s office or in an outpatient surgical facility. After the procedure the skin will be swollen, red and tender. Swelling gradually subsides within 2-3 weeks. You may feel some burning, itching, aching or discomfort for a while after the surgery. Pain medication, antibiotics and anti-swelling medications can be prescribed. Ointment and special dressing will help speed the healing process and your physician will give you instructions on how to care for the wound. Healing usually occurs within seven to ten days.

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