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Chronic Conditions Exam 2
Types of burns
52
Other
Not Applicable
01/30/2005

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Cards

Term
What are the 4 major mechanisms of burn injury?
Definition
Thermal, Chemical, Electrical and Radiation.
Term
What are the three types of thermal burns?
Definition
Conduction, radiation and convection.
Term
How are conduction burns acquired?
Definition
Direct contact.
Term
What are some mechanisms of thermal radiation burns?
Definition
tanning beds, heat lamps, sun
Term
How are thermal convection burns acquired?
Definition
Through heat carried by air current. ie: nearby explosion.
Term
What factors determine damage from a thermal burn?
Definition
temperature
Term
What temperature leads to protein denaturation?
Definition
110-120 degr.F, or 44 degr. C
Term
What factors determine the extent of the damage caused by a chemical burn? (3)
Definition
Concentration and quantity of the agent, and the length of exposure.
Term
What are the possible systemic effects of chemical burns due to absorption of the chemical? (3)
Definition
Airway damage, pulmonary damage, and cardiac damage.
Term
What makes electrical burns unique from other burn types, in terms of the wound it creates?
Definition
It creates an entrance and an exit wound, as well as a channel of damage through the body.
Term
What parts of the body take the most damage in electrical burns, in general?
Definition
The places that introduce the most resistance to the electrical current.
Term
Why is a hand to hand electrical burn more dangerous than an equivalent hand to foot electrical burn?
Definition
because the current has to cross paths with the heart, which introduces resistance to the current, therefore places the individual at high risk for heart damage.
Term
What three things change skin resistance to electricity?
Definition
thickness, cleanliness, wetness.
Term
What tissues are most susceptible to radiation burns?
Definition
Rapidly dividing tissues: skin cells and bone marrow.
Term
What are the major systemic effects of radiation burns?
Definition
Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, fever, headache, increased WBC, decreased RBC, GI problems, Vascular problems.
Term
What are the metabolic alterations that are important to take into consideration in the burn patient? (3)
Definition
High resting energy requirements, increased glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis.
Term
Why is it critical for burn patients to have proper nutrition?
Definition
Because they have increased metabolism due to repairs to the new open wounds, and because they have to maintain their core temperature, which is difficult with a lot of open surface area caused by the burn.
Term
What are the 10 major systemic effects of a general burn injury?
Definition
High levels of pain, increased metabolism, sleep disturbances, cardiovascular problems (insufficient blood flow to maintain capillary perfusion), pulmonary changes, cardiac dysfunction, GI alterations, change in levels of R & W blood cells, kidney problems
Term
What are the GI problems a burn patient may experience?
Definition
Altered nutrient processing, decreased ability to prevent entrance of bacteria through GI tract (can lead to: ischemia, increased intestinal permeability, incr. bacterial/endothelial movement, infection/sepsis)
Term
What pulmonary problems might the burn patient experience?
Definition
inhalation injury, edema, infection, ARDS
Term
What is the hematopoietic response to a burn injury?
Definition
Increased WBC, decreased RBC and platelets
Term
What are some additional considerations to take into account in the older adult or child burn patient? (2)
Definition
hydration and vascular or cardiac problems prior to the burn.
Term
Using the rule of 9s, document the extent of injury (%) in a patient who sustained a second degree burn after stepping into a hot tub up to her knee.
Definition
9%
Term
Using the rule of 9s, document the extent of injury (%) in a patient who sustained a burn from laying in the sun for 2 hours on her back, completely uncovered.
Definition
50%
Term
A patient sustained major burns to her entire right arm, the right front half of her upper torso, and her entire face. Use the rule of 9s to determine the % of her body that's affected.
Definition
23.5% (arm = 9, 1/4 of 1 side of torso = 4.5, face = 10)
Term
A patient burned his hand on a wood stove. The burn covers the entire palm of his hand. What percentage of his body is this?
Definition
1%
Term
How deep (in terms of skin layers) does a first degree burn go?
Definition
It involves only the epidermis.
Term
Does a second degree burn affect the dermis?
Definition
Why, yes! It does! (part of it)
Term
You inspect a burn and note bright red skin with tiny blisters. What grade of burn is this? Should your patient be concerned w/ scarring?
Definition
1st degree burn, should heal without scarring.
Term
A mom brings her baby to the hospital. The child's skin is bright red with blisters about the diameter of a silver dollar. What degree burn is this?
Definition
Second degree
Term
Will the surface of a 2nd degree burn typically be moist or dry?
Definition
moist
Term
For what degree burns do you use the rule of nines?
Definition
2nd and 3rd. 1st degree burns are not taken into consideration by the rule of 9s.
Term
Would you expect a deep partial thickness burn to be moist or dry?
Definition
usually they're dry.
Term
What is usually more painful: a 2nd or 3rd degree burn? Why?
Definition
2nd. Because in 3rd degree burn most of the nerve endings have been burnt off, so sensation is not as in-tact as it is in the 2nd degree burn pt.
Term
How are hair follicles important to the healing process of a burn?
Definition
They contain a lot of epithelial cells that aid in healing of the tissue.
Term
How deep does a third degree burn go?
Definition
all layers of the skin, and into subcutaneous tissue.
Term
Do you expect a 3rd degree burn to be moist or dry?
Definition
dry
Term
How intense is the pain with a 3rd degree burn?
Definition
There's no pain. The nerve endings are gone.
Term
Can a third degree burn heal on its own?
Definition
Nope. They need a skin graft.
Term
What type of sensation may still be intact with a deep partial thickness burn?
Definition
pressure
Term
In what degree burn does edema become a real problem?
Definition
deep partial thickness
Term
Do you expect good capillary refill in the 2nd degree burn pt?
Definition
yup
Term
What is an escharotomy? How is it helpful in the burn pt?
Definition
An incision made laterally along the entire length of the burn to restore circulation to tissue beneath by decreaseing the pressure caused by edema.
Term
In what type of wound would an escharotomy most likely be done?
Definition
Circumferencial full-thickness wounds
Term
Would you expect a graft to be required for a burn affecting the superficial dermis?
Definition
no.
Term
Describe Primary Wound Closure
Definition
The endges of the wound are brought together and sewn.
Term
What is the advantage, and what is the disadvantage to using a full-thickness skin graft?
Definition
Adv: The burn heals very well. Disadv: you've created another full-thickness wound. oops.
Term
What is the advantage and what is the disadvantage to using meshed split thickness skin grafts?
Definition
Adv: can cover a large area of burn with just a small chunk of skin. Disadv: Heals with a meshed appearance, so may not be desirable, cosmetically.
Term
What are your major graft options? (4)
Definition
full thickness, split thickness (sheets, meshed), artificial skin, skin flaps.
Term
What are the 2 major types of 'skin flaps' that can be used for grafting?
Definition
Skin from another person, cultured skin, or skin from an animal.
Term
Define: Zenograft
Definition
Skin graft from an animal.
Term
Why would a patient want to have burn scar excision?
Definition
To re-align the scar to increase ROM.
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