burns + classifications

Question 1

What are thermal burns?

Answer 1

Burns caused by external heat sources such as hot metal, scalding liquids, steam, flames, house fires, gas, smoking.

Question 2

What is cold thermal injury?

Answer 2

Frostbite.

Question 3

What causes chemical burns?

Answer 3

Contact with acids, alkaline, or organic compounds via inhalation, ingestion, or skin contact.

Question 4

Why might a chemical be ingested?

Answer 4

Children may ingest chemicals accidentally.

Question 5

What causes contact chemical burns?

Answer 5

Cleaners, lye, disinfectants; absorbed, inhaled, or ingested.

Question 6

What causes electrical burns?

Answer 6

Intense heat from an electric current.

Question 7

Complications of electrical burns?

Answer 7

TBI/C-spine injury, ischemia/death of skin/muscle, rhabdomyolysis, AKI.

Question 8

What layer is affected in a 1st degree burn?

Answer 8

Epidermis only.

Question 9

What does a 1st degree burn look like?

Answer 9

Red, blanchable skin with no blisters.

Question 10

Example of a 1st degree burn?

Answer 10

Sunburn.

Question 11

What layers are involved in superficial partial thickness burns?

Answer 11

Epidermis and superficial dermis.

Question 12

How does a superficial partial thickness burn appear?

Answer 12

Red, blistered, wet.

Question 13

Symptoms of superficial partial thickness burns?

Answer 13

Swelling, pain, intact hair follicles.

Question 14

Healing of superficial partial thickness burns?

Answer 14

Heals spontaneously with minimal scarring when treated properly.

Question 15

What layers are involved in deep partial thickness burns?

Answer 15

Dermis.

Question 16

What do deep partial thickness burns look like?

Answer 16

White/yellowish, wet or dry, waxy appearance.

Question 17

Are blisters present in deep partial thickness burns?

Answer 17

Blisters may be less prominent.

Question 18

What structures are damaged in deep partial thickness burns?

Answer 18

Hair follicles, sweat glands, sebaceous glands.

Question 19

Why is pain decreased in deep partial thickness burns?

Answer 19

Nerve endings are beginning to be damaged.

Question 20

Do deep partial thickness burns scar?

Answer 20

Yes — may scar or cause skin color changes

Question 21

What layers are destroyed in full-thickness burns?

Answer 21

Epidermis and full dermis including base layer.

Question 22

How do full-thickness burns appear?

Answer 22

White/pale, brown, leathery, or charred.

Question 23

Is capillary refill present in full-thickness burns?

Answer 23

No — capillaries destroyed.

Question 24

Do full-thickness burns hurt?

Answer 24

No sensation due to destroyed nerves (may still have pain around the burn).

Question 25

What treatment is required for full-thickness burns?

Answer 25

Skin grafting.