Burns
A thermal burn is a type of burn resulting from making contact with heated objects, such as boiling water, steam, hot cooking oil, fire, and hot objects. Scalds are the most common type of thermal burn suffered by children, but for adults thermal burns are most commonly caused by fire. Conditions of thermal burns are a reddened to leathered skin condition; burn site pain; swelling; blistering, sometimes glossy from leaking fluid; skin loss or charring with patches appearing white, brown, or black. Burns are generally classified from first degree to fourth degree. However, thermal burns are most commonly categorized as minor, moderate, and major, based almost solely on the depth and size of the burn. Statistics from the American Burn Association (2015) report 73% of burns occur in the home, with males twice as likely to experience burns than females.
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Research
Burns: a review of the pathophysiology, treatment, and complications of thermal injury.
Abstract: Thermal destruction of skin may result in severe local and systemic physiologic alterations. Although a majority of minor burns may be treated on an outpatient basis, the foot requires special consideration. A thorough understanding of the pathophysiology,...
Cutaneous blisters and carbon monoxide poisoning.
Abstract: We present the cases of three patients with skin blisters following carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. Their blisters appeared to be related to the severity of the poisoning (HbCO levels of more than 40%). Two of the three patients died despite aggressive...
Clostridial myonecrosis.
Abstract: Clostridial infections, particularly myonecrosis, can be fulminant and fatal; they often arise without an obvious history of trauma. The cardinal diagnostic clues (Figure 3) must be recognized so that specific therapy can be initiated promptly and mortality...