[The exposure method of treatment of burns in children]

Acute burn is a more or less profound destruction of the skin envelope. The depth of the injury determines the severity of functional and aesthetic sequelae. Local care prevents the infection, factor of deepening of the burn. Currently the dressing used in most Burns centers is a bandage covering a bacterial product applied to the burn. The advantage of this dressing is to prevent the occurrence of local infection. In contrast, open-air method of treatment is based on the notions that the wound is infected. His purpose is to reduce the effects of infection by creating an unfavourable environment to the growth and multiplication of bacteria. The principle of this method is the formation over the burned area of an eschar. The eschar acts as a natural dressing to protect the injured area against infection. The residual skin islets are preserved. The surgical cleavage of the eschar is easy; the deep surface of the crust defines the surgical plan. Deep tangential excisions are not necessary. The implementation of this technique is easy and it is particularly well suited to pediatrics. Treatment is not painful and the child's activities are not hampered by bandages. Respect of the children's quality of life and medical-economic efficiency of this method give it a prominent place in the treatment of burns in children.