+Anonymously helping burn patients and victims....

contact us: asktheburnsurgeon@yahoo.com


Friday, September 24, 2010

Burn videos links on the web (how to treat sunburns, electrical burns, road accidents and burns, infection and burns, how to treat minor burns and scalds, first aid and minor burns, plastic surgery and burns, MRSA, antibiotics)



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,
Barbados

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

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






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 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+






Thursday, September 23, 2010

How to treat sunburns? (Management of 1st degree burns)


Dear burn surgeon, last weekend we spent a long time on the beach and my daughter had sunburn on her face. Now the skin is peeling off and I am wondering if we did not treat her well and is she going to have a scar?
Mrs Mabel
California.
USA

Sunburns is usually a first degree burn and does not need special physician care as first degree burns does not cause fluid loss and is not included in the calculation of burn percentage for fluid resuscitation. The patient usually has been exposed to sunlight for a long time as on the beach. The skin shows redness and when you press your fingertip on this area, there is blanching (skin becomes pale and pink again). The outermost layer of skin (epidermis) is intact but red. If there is blistering of skin then this is a 2nd degree superficial burn and the management will be different as we have seen before..

Management of 2nd degree superficial burns- (2nd degree burns)
http://asktheburnsurgeon.blogspot.com/2010/01/management-of-2nd-degree-superficial.html

However patients with sunburns may have severe dehydration and should take plenty of fluid orally like water, juices or oral rehydration preparations. For small areas of sunburn, one should cover the area with a piece of cloth soaked in cold water. This will ease the pain and one can combine it with regular analgesics like ibuprofen, paracetamol, aspirin, diclofenac sodium etc. For burns that are extremely painful, a local anaesthetic like xylocaine can help. Avoid aspirin in children. For larger areas one can take a cold shower or soak in a bath tub. In children, this should be avoided for fear of hypothermia (abnormal lowering of body temperature). This can be followed up with applications of mild lotions or Aloe Vera preparations, or moisturisers. One should wear light and loose cotton clothing to avoid irritation of the burn area.
To avoid sunburns one should use a sunscreen with a SPF (sun protection factor) more than 25. If you are a fair complexion person, use one with an SPF greater than 45 to prevent sunburns. This burn usually heals in a week’s time.
First degree burns do not cause a scar normally and as the healing takes place the damaged epidermis may peel of slowly revealing the new epidermis underneath. Protect this new skin from sunlight by using a sunscreen and avoid direct bright sunlight for a few weeks.
So don’t worry Mrs. Mabel, your daughter should be fine by God’s grace.
Asktheburnsurgeon+