The measurement of edema following burns.

Abstract

Abstract An accurate, rapid, and reproducible method (thermal analysis) of measuring edema was investigated in white Wistar rats subjected to second degree thermal contact burns. Skin samples taken one through 96 hours following burn or anesthesia (controls) were analyzed with the use of differential thermal analysis (DTA), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), mass spectrometry, and histologic studies. TGA provided an accurate measurement of water content of the tissue. Control skin showed a slight increase in water content from one through 96 hours, while burn skin peaked at 4 hours and returned toward control levels by 48 hours. DTA thermograms showed a characteristic 3 endothermal peak pattern in controls, due to different binding energies of the water in the sample. This also reflected the amount of each type of water present. Burned skin showed 2 different endotherms which reflected the early increase in "free" water due to edema. After 24 hours, the thermograms of burned skin suggested tissue healing with return toward the 3 endothermal peak pattern of the controls. Thermal analysis is an accurate method for measuring edema following burns and could be of value in monitoring burn therapy.