Anaesthesia | Patient specific populations | Management of burns, smoke inhalation and chemical burns

Management of Burns, Smoke Inhalation and Chemical Burns
Session Overview
Description
This session focuses on the key management priorities and principles that a healthcare professional should be aware of when treating a patient presenting with major burns.

Learning Objectives
By the end of this session you will be able to:

• Describe the key treatment priorities in the initial management of the burns patient
• Explain how to calculate fluid requirement in the burns patient and how to assess whether fluid resus is adequate
• List the treatment steps in the management of the burn wound
• Explain the procedure of escharotomy and its indications
• Identify those patients presenting with airway burns and describe how to manage inhalational injury and systemic gases toxicity
• Describe the initial assessment and management of the patient presenting with a chemical burn and electrical burn

Prerequisites
Before commencing this session you should have completed session:

• Initial Assessment of the Burns Patient (001-7112)

Burns are a common type of traumatic injury and can either be isolated or form part of a complex major trauma. It causes considerable mortality and morbidity and encompasses a significant financial burden with intensive care stays, long hospitalizations, rehabilitation and ongoing wound and scar treatment.

A major burn is classified as any burn covering >20% body surface area (BSA). It can also be defined by a burn that is complicated by major trauma or inhalational injury, a chemical burn, or a high voltage electrical burn.

No matter the size and the type of burn present the treatment priorities remain the same. The goal in management is to limit the extent of the systemic insult. The management is complex and requires multidisciplinary team involvement from a specialized burns centre, focusing on improved resuscitation, enhanced wound management, infection control, management of inhalational injury and prevention of organ dysfunction and multi-organ failure.