Major burns in adults: a practice review

Area of Science:

• Emergency Medicine
• Trauma Surgery
• Critical Care

Background:

• Thermal burn injuries cause significant global mortality, with a subset requiring specialized care.
• Effective initial management in the emergency department (ED) is crucial for subsequent intensive care unit (ICU) outcomes.
• Severe burns, including inhalation injury and burn shock, present complex challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the immediate management of adult patients with severe thermal burns.
• To highlight recent advancements in emergency burn care.
• To provide guidance on critical care principles for severe burn patients.

Main Methods:

• Practice review focusing on immediate post-burn care.
• Illustrative case study to demonstrate key management principles.
• Discussion of contemporary approaches to resuscitation and pain management.

Main Results:

• Emphasizes the need for a multidisciplinary approach in ED burn care.
• Details advanced airway management techniques for inhalation injuries.
• Outlines current strategies for assessing fluid requirements and resuscitation volumes.

Conclusions:

• Optimal ED resuscitation significantly impacts long-term outcomes for severe burn patients.
• Recent developments offer improved options for airway management, fluid resuscitation, and pain relief.
• Early adherence to burn intensive care principles is vital for patient survival and recovery.