Complications
Location of Burns and Complications
- Pulmonary complications: burns of face, neck, chest, & trunk
- Possible disability: Hands, feet, joints,u00a0 & eyes (corneal abrasions)
- Infection: perineal area, eyes, ears (open to bacteria)
- Co-morbidities/morbidities that delay healing= diabetes, infection & poor blood supply
- Circumferential burns: compartment syndrome, a tourniquet-like effect that leads to vascular compromise. Can occur in the extremities, but thorax as well (think pulmonary insufficiency due to inability of chest wall to expand).u00a0
Compartment Syndrome: Assess Neurovascular status:
Cuts off blood flow. It can occur with circumferential burns
Curling's Ulcer
- Curling’s ulcer isu00a0a stress-induced ulcer of the stomach or duodenum that occurs in relation to extreme physical stress, such as in massively burned patients. This is due to the fact that an extensive burn causes more stress on the entire body than any other injury.
- Treatment: Tagamet, Zantac, Pepcid (any H2 receptor antagonist) or Protonix and Prilosec (Proton Pump Inhibitors)