Dear Burn surgeon,
I found your website very informative. I saw a number of burn videos on YouTube but I was confused as there are no explanations many times. Could you suggest some good videos and advice?
Katie Jones,
Dear Katie,
Thank you very much for appreciating our site. Asktheburnsurgeon is specifically written in a manner that both lay persons as well as burn professionals will understand burn management and is aimed at creating burn awareness and simplifying burn treatment in the community. There are a number of burn related videos available on the web which can be helpful. We have put together a few links below- and included our thoughts and comments on the video.
(Asktheburnsurgeon has no financial or other interest in the video links displayed on this page)
Electrical burns
There are two types of electrical injuries
1) caused by electrical flash
2) caused by direct electrical current
The electrical flash burn causes a burn injury, and in this type of accident the electric current does not touch or pass through the victim’s body. A flash or flame only affects him and he can be treated as a flash/ flame burn victim. On the other hand, in the direct electrical current injury patient, the electrical current passes through the body and this patient must be admitted and monitored in a burn ward as he may manifest problems and complications associated with direct electrical injuries even where no apparent injuries are evident. This is because the electrical injury affects the heart and severe changes in heart rhythm (arrhythmia) can lead to death if the patient is not kept under observation. Further other injuries like muscle damage and myoglobinuria (release of muscle protein in urine) which can block and damage the kidney may occur. Again, muscle damage may lead to compartment syndrome (tissue edema or swelling which causes reduced blood flow and ischemic injury).
Staffs who work with electrical lines and devices must be careful to avoid burns. Rescue officials have to make sure that all electrical currents have been switched off and it is safe for both the rescuer and the victim. Backup, ambulances and first aid experts in CPR, burns and injury managements must always be available in any rescue effort, if mishaps are to be prevented.
Electric burns will be discussed as a full article in a later issue.
Asktheburnsurgeon+
‘Wonder why some people make offensive comments at others misfortunes’
The following video link shows a rescue official getting electrocuted while trying to rescue a person who is on top of a high voltage electric pole.
HOW TO TREAT SUNBURNS
has already been explained in our previous blog
The following video link tells you how to take care of sunburns.
1.How to protect your kids from sunburn
2. Child Care & First Aid : How to Treat a Sunburn
3. How to Treat a Sunburn
Road accidents and burns.
This video link shows a movie clip scenes where multiple road accidents occur simultaneously. To avoid accident and burn injuries, please read our previous article.
24 tips from asktheburnsurgeon on-How to avoid road accidents and burns at
First aid and minor burns
This video link tells you about the first aid management of minor burns. Please read our detailed article on first aid and burn prevention before you follow other links
FIRST AID IN BURNS-FLAME BURNS, SCALD BURNS, CHEMICAL BURNS AND ELECTRICAL BURNS
http://asktheburnsurgeon.blogspot.com/2010/01/first-aid-in-burns-flame-burns-scald.html
http://asktheburnsurgeon.blogspot.com/2010/01/first-aid-in-burns-flame-burns-scald.html
Burn Prevention
+How To Treat Minor Burns & Scalds
Handling Burns
Case 2 - Accidental flame burns
How to treat a burn - How to treat burns at home
First Aid Tips : How to Treat Second & Third-Degree Burns
First Aid Tips : How to Treat Mouth Burn
how to Treat a Chemical Burn
Management of Patients with Burn Injury-http://www.authorstream.com/Presentation/lizb003-213735-management-patients-burn-injury-sum-09-notes-education-ppt-powerpoint/
Nurse TV: Burns Unit
Burn Survivor
Plastic Surgery And Burns
Burns can lead to severe contractures and limitations of joint movements, but with the recent advances in tissue transfers and microsurgery, it is possible to correct severe deformities and let patients lead normal life styles. The following video link shows a young girl who suffered burns to her leg, walking after she underwent surgical corrections. Burn surgery will be discussed as a full article in the future.
‘There is always light in the end of the tunnel’Asktheburnsurgeon+
Electrical burns
Burns - First Aid
first aid - Dealing with burns
Live Burn Mishap
How the Body Works : When the Skin is Cut
Basic First Aid Tips : How to Treat Burn Blisters
First Aid – Burn
How To Treat Someone For Shock
Why are burn patients prone to infection?
Infections and burns.
Burn patients are prone to infections because
1) They carry a lot of dead burnt tissue (Eschar) which is a good bed for microorganisms to grow2) Burn patients are immucompromised or they have a low immunity, so that their body is unable to defend itself from attack by various germs.3) Besides burn to the skin, inhalation of smoke or smoke inhalation injury damages the lungs and makes them prone to lung infections.4) Monitoring of burn patients may involve insertions of intravenous lines, central venomous lines, Foley catheter, arterial lines, schwan ganz catheter and others. Sometimes theses lines are passed through burnt areas as there are no un-burnt areas to do so. These lines are a potential source of infection. So also is the Foley’s catheter or urinary catheter which can causes urinary tract infection that can be serious if untreated.
5) Burn patients need to have dressing changes for their burn areas regularly and this can be a source of infection, if infection control protocols are not observed by the attending staff during the dressing changes. In fact, infection control protocols need to be strictly observed from the time of admission, to the time of discharge from the hospital. 6) Burn patients tend to be infected sometimes by multiple organisms. The use of some antibiotics have be shown to kill the organisms against which they are effective, but sometimes their use promotes the growth of other organisms which attack the burn patient.
7) The indiscriminate use of antibiotics promotes the development of 'antibiotics resistance’ where the organisms are able to survive and grow in the presence of powerful antibiotics. Hence all antibiotics should be used with extreme caution after studying the microbiology and culture/ sensitivity of the microorganism that have infected the burn patient.
The following video links give you a brief idea about burn infection, MRSA and antibiotic resistance.
Antibiotics - Dangerous or Safe?
Antibiotic Resistance
MRSA - Why, How & What Happened ?
MRSA Can Kill You! What You Need To Know!
MRSA: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus
asktheburnsurgeon+
Handling Burns
Case 2 - Accidental flame burns
How to treat a burn - How to treat burns at home
First Aid Tips : How to Treat Second & Third-Degree Burns
First Aid Tips : How to Treat Mouth Burn
how to Treat a Chemical Burn
Management of Patients with Burn Injury-http://www.authorstream.com/Presentation/lizb003-213735-management-patients-burn-injury-sum-09-notes-education-ppt-powerpoint/
Nurse TV: Burns Unit
Burn Survivor
Plastic Surgery And Burns
Burns can lead to severe contractures and limitations of joint movements, but with the recent advances in tissue transfers and microsurgery, it is possible to correct severe deformities and let patients lead normal life styles. The following video link shows a young girl who suffered burns to her leg, walking after she underwent surgical corrections. Burn surgery will be discussed as a full article in the future.
‘There is always light in the end of the tunnel’
‘There is always light in the end of the tunnel’
Asktheburnsurgeon+
Electrical burns
Burns - First Aid
first aid - Dealing with burns
Live Burn Mishap
How the Body Works : When the Skin is Cut
Basic First Aid Tips : How to Treat Burn Blisters
First Aid – Burn
How To Treat Someone For Shock
Why are burn patients prone to infection?
Infections and burns.
Burn patients are prone to infections because
1) They carry a lot of dead burnt tissue (Eschar) which is a good bed for microorganisms to grow
2) Burn patients are immucompromised or they have a low immunity, so that their body is unable to defend itself from attack by various germs.
3) Besides burn to the skin, inhalation of smoke or smoke inhalation injury damages the lungs and makes them prone to lung infections.
4) Monitoring of burn patients may involve insertions of intravenous lines, central venomous lines, Foley catheter, arterial lines, schwan ganz catheter and others. Sometimes theses lines are passed through burnt areas as there are no un-burnt areas to do so. These lines are a potential source of infection. So also is the Foley’s catheter or urinary catheter which can causes urinary tract infection that can be serious if untreated.
5) Burn patients need to have dressing changes for their burn areas regularly and this can be a source of infection, if infection control protocols are not observed by the attending staff during the dressing changes. In fact, infection control protocols need to be strictly observed from the time of admission, to the time of discharge from the hospital.
6) Burn patients tend to be infected sometimes by multiple organisms. The use of some antibiotics have be shown to kill the organisms against which they are effective, but sometimes their use promotes the growth of other organisms which attack the burn patient.
7) The indiscriminate use of antibiotics promotes the development of 'antibiotics resistance’ where the organisms are able to survive and grow in the presence of powerful antibiotics. Hence all antibiotics should be used with extreme caution after studying the microbiology and culture/ sensitivity of the microorganism that have infected the burn patient.
The following video links give you a brief idea about burn infection, MRSA and antibiotic resistance.
Antibiotics - Dangerous or Safe?
Antibiotic Resistance
MRSA - Why, How & What Happened ?
MRSA Can Kill You! What You Need To Know!
MRSA: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus
asktheburnsurgeon+