[Prehospital management of burns]

The optimal assessment of the burn victim in the prehospital setting needs a clear understanding of the pathophysiological changes occurring locally and systemically after injury. For the mobile emergency unit it is essential to dispose of an appropriate protocol for the prevention of hypovolemia, hypothermia, hypoxemia. In the immediate survey, immediate life-threatening conditions should be clearly identified and treated as well as a through head-to-toe evaluation should be undertaken. Two phases of transport can be identified: the first from the scene of accident to the proximal emergency unit, specialized or not in burn care. The second is the transportation from the non-specialized proximal emergency unit to a burn intensive care unit according to the decision of the dispatching Centre 15.