Superficial Partial Thickness Burns Research Articles

Comparative Efficacy of Silver Sulfadiazine and Aquacel Ag in Superficial Partial Thickness Burn Treatment: A Retrospective Analysis

Comparative Efficacy of Silver Sulfadiazine and Aquacel Ag in Superficial Partial Thickness Burn Treatment: A Retrospective Analysis

Management of Acute Hand Burns: A Survey of American Burn Association-Verified Burn Centers.

Hand burns have a significant impact on the long-term function of burn patients. Recently, new protocols and technologies, such as dermal substitutes, have been introduced for the treatment of hand burns. This cross-sectional study investigates the preferred current management of acute hand burns and the role of dermal substitutes in treatment. A 10-question survey related to acute hand burns management was sent to 64 directors of American Burn Association (ABA)-verified burn centers. A total of 51.6% (n=33) directors of ABA-verified burn centers responded to the survey. For the treatment of superficial partial-thickness hand burns, 90.9% preferred a non-operative approach. Conversely, most respondents chose a single-stage excision and skin graft for deep partial-thickness hand burns (75.8%) and full-thickness hand burns (51.5%). However, for full-thickness hand burns, some surgeons prefer a two-stage reconstruction involving excision and placement of a skin substitute (27.3%) or allograft (9.1%), followed by a skin graft. Only 6.1% would utilize a three-stage reconstruction involving excision and allograft, excision and skin substitute, followed by skin grafting. Among surgeons who used skin substitutes (n=26), Integra (42.3%) and Novosorb Biodegradable Temporising Matrix (BTM) (23.1%) were preferred. The top reasons for choosing one specific dermal substitute were surgeon's preference (n=20; 76.9%) and cost (n=9; 34.6%). While a conservative non-operative approach is preferred for superficial partial-thickness hand burns, excision and skin grafting as a one-stage procedure remains the most common strategy for deep partial-thickness and full-thickness hand burns.

Prevalence and characteristics of paediatric burns at the National Reconstructive Plastic Surgery and Burns Centre, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Ghana

IntroductionBurn injuries among children have emerged as a significant global public health concern, accounting for substantial morbidity and mortality worldwide. Low and Middle-Income Countries bear a significant burden of paediatric burn injuries. In Ghana, limited data exists on the prevalence, characteristics and outcomes of paediatric burns. This study provides vital data on the local burden and epidemiology of paediatric burns at Ghana’s main burns treatment center. The findings have significant value in informing prevention strategies, allocating resources, and improving quality of paediatric burn care. Study objectiveTo establish the prevalence and characteristics of paediatric burns injuries in Ghana’s leading burn center. MethodologyA retrospective cohort study analyzed data from 662 adult and paediatric patients who presented with burns from all over Ghana between 2020 and 2022. The study encompassed medical records of paediatric burn cases (aged 0–14 years) admitted to the center from January 2020 to December 2022. A purposive sampling technique was used to select cases based on the inclusion criteria and elimination of cases with 20 % missing data. A total of 335 paediatric records were reviewed. Data analytical methodsDescriptive statistics, such as frequencies, mean, percentages were used to establish period prevalence and demographic characteristics of paediatric burns. Chi-square analysis and univariate logistic regression was utilized to explore associations between categorical variables, and predictors of burn outcome. ResultsThe period prevalence of paediatric burns was found to be 50.6 %. Paediatric burn cases predominantly affected males (57.6 %). Majority of cases fell within the age range of 1 to 5 years (70.1 %). Hot water emerged as the leading cause (58.4 %), whiles superficial partial thickness burns (51.9 %) was the predominant type of burn. Most cases involved burns affecting less than 20 % Total Body Surface Area (59.0 %). Multi-part body injuries were common (87.2 %), with the lower limb being the most affected (25.36 %). The mortality rate was calculated to be 21.0 %. Higher TBSA was a significant predictor of mortality (p < 0.001). ConclusionThis study found a high prevalence of paediatric burns with hot water and foods being the predominant causes. Higher TBSA predicted lower chances of survival. The findings have scientific value in informing prevention strategies, allocating resources, and improving the quality of care.

Evaluating Burn Injuries at the University of Sierra Leone Teaching Hospitals Complex, Freetown

Background: As with most low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), burns are a major public health problem in Sierra Leone, yet they are poorly studied. This retrospective study of burn injuries at the Connaught Hospital unit of the University of Sierra Leone Teaching Hospitals Complex aims to bridge this gap by examining the patterns and outcomes of burn injuries over a two-year period and comparing these findings with previous studies from the same region. Methods: A total of 146 patients were included in the study over a two-year period from January 1, 2021, to December 31, 2022. Results: The 146 patients seen during the study period represented an average rate of 1.39 cases per week. The median age was 3.9 years (range: 2 months to 56 years) with 59.4% male involvement. Eighty percent suffered from scalds, mostly from hot water. The modal percentage of Total Body Surface Area (%TBSA) affected was 10% (range: 1–75%), and 68.1% had superficial partial thickness burns. The %TBSA of scalds was significantly smaller than that of flame burns. The most common complication was anaemia. Conclusions: Burns continue to pose a significant challenge in Sierra Leone and the situation has not changed significantly over the past decade. There is a need to institute burn preventive measures in the country and to have dedicated functioning burns units to address this common public health problem.

Management of Pediatric Superficial Partial-Thickness Burns with Polyhexamethylene Biguanide: Outcomes and Influencing Factors.

Background: In burn care, achieving swift healing with minimal complications remains paramount. This investigation assesses the role of polyhexamethylene biguanide (PHMB) in managing pediatric superficial partial-thickness burns, focusing on the effects of various patient-specific factors on recovery. Methods: Through a retrospective analysis of 27 pediatric cases treated with PHMB, we evaluated the impact of age, burn size, dressing frequency, treatment delay, cold therapy application, and analgesic usage on the time until reepithelialization (TTRE). Results: The majority of patients benefited from early cold therapy, yet only 1 in 3 patients received analgesics. A mean healing time of 8.78 (SD: 2.64) days was observed, with the extent of the burn showing a strong correlation (r: 0.63) to TTRE. Most treatments were managed outpatient, evidenced by a negligible average hospital stay (0.96 days), with recorded no complications. Conclusions: Our findings endorse PHMB as a promising treatment for superficial second-degree burns in young patients, due to the observed stable and rapid wound closure without the association of increased risks. Continued exploration into the optimal application of prehospital interventions and the comprehensive benefits of PHMB in pediatric burn management is necessary. Future research should assess long-term outcomes, including functionality, scar quality, and patient satisfaction.

A randomised investigation of film-forming silicone gel in superficial partial thickness face and neck burn patients: Indication of improved early scar pigmentation outcomes

IntroductionBurns to the face and neck are a source of considerable distress and a challenge to manage with dressings. Further, these often superficial injuries pose a risk of scarring and altered pigmentation. Silicone gels have emerged as a potential solution to the challenges of conservative management for face and neck burn injuries. The aims of this study were to explore the effect of topical silicone compared to routine treatment of conservatively managed burns to the face and neck. MethodsThis single-blind, randomised, controlled trial compared topical silicone film-forming dressing to standard of care for superficial partial thickness burns to the face and neck. Time to healing was the primary outcome and secondary outcomes included: 1) scar assessments (modified Vancouver Scar Scale, Dermalab Combo and Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale) at six weeks and three months; and 2) pain intensity scale at wound review appointments. ResultsOf the 55 participants in the face/neck study, 34 were male and 21 were female. Median age was 36 years (range from 25 to 47 years). The median time to healing for the silicone group was 9 days (CI 7.6 −10.4) and the control group was 7 days (CI 5.3- 8.7), p = 0.056. Analysis demonstrated significantly reduced pigmentation at six weeks in mVSS scores for the silicone group (Md = 0, IQR = 0) compared to the control group (Md = 0, IQR = 0 – 3), p = 0.043. We found no evidence of differences in reported pain between the groups (Silicone - Md = 1.15, IQR 0.3 – 4.5 vs control group - Md = 1.5, IQR 0.6 – 3.8, z = −0.63, p = 0.53). No other differences were observed, and no adverse events were associated with the topical silicone in the study whereas an infection and a reaction were experienced in the control group. ConclusionFilm-forming silicone gel had comparable effects to standard of care emollient on wound healing of superficial partial thickness burns of the face and neck. Silicone treated wounds were associated with a significant improvement in scar pigmentation outcome at six weeks post-burn.

PATTERNS AND OUTCOMES OF PEDIATRIC BURN INJURIES IN A TERTIARY HOSPITAL’s BURN UNIT

IntroductionBurn is skin and tissue damage caused by various agents such as fire, scalds, electricity, chemicals, or radiation injuries. Globally, burn injuries pose a substantial public health challenge, with a high risk of mortality and morbidity, accounting for over 310,000 annual deaths. Nearly 75 % of burns in young children result from scald burns and infants have the highest mortality rates. Factors such as large surface area of burn, inhalational injury, poverty, and the presence of sepsis contribute significantly to mortality and morbidity in burns. ObjectiveTo assess the pattern of presentation of pediatric burn injuries and their management outcomes. MethodsA hospital-based retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted. Data were extracted from patient charts, cleaned, coded, checked for completeness, and entered into SPSS version 25 for analysis. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were used for data analysis, and graphical presentations were utilized to present the result findings. ResultsAmong the 218 paediatric burn patients admitted to the Addis Ababa Burn, Emergency and Trauma Hospital’s burn unit, 71.1 % had sustained scald burns due to hot water splashes, while 20.2 % of the patients were admitted due to flame burns. Superficial partial thickness burns occurred in 53.6 % of the patients, with the upper extremity and trunk being the most commonly affected sites. Approximately 38.2 % of the patients developed acute complications, with sepsis of the wound focus being the most common. Chronic complications occurred in 30.7 % of patients, primarily in the form of post-burn contractures. A mortality rate of 3.2 % was observed during the admission period with 2.3 % of deaths occurring in children under 5 years and those with major burns. Conclusion & RecommendationThe primary causes of burns in the pediatric age group are predominantly preventable scalds. Children, especially when unsupervised at home, particularly in kitchens, demand meticulous attention and care to mitigate the risk of burn injuries.

Burns in epileptic patients: Pattern and outcome.

Objective: To determine the pattern and outcome of burns in epileptic patients. Study Design: Retrospective study. Setting: Plastic and Burn Unit, Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar. Period: January 2021 to Decmber 2022. Material &amp; Methods: The research was conducted at the Plastic surgery and burn unit of Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar. Digital records of 35 epileptic patients admitted in the last five years were extracted. The demographics, burn pattern, total body surface area, level of burn, surgical outcome, complications, and length of hospital stay of epileptic patients were extracted from the electronic record. IBM-SPSS version 20 was used to analyze the data. Results: Over the last five years, 35 epileptic patients have been admitted to our unit. Males made up 28.6% of our patients, while females were 71.4%. The patient's average age was 24.14 years ±16. 28 SD. The most common pattern in our patients was fire burn (62.9%), followed by scald (25.7%), and the least common pattern was 11.4%. 10 to 20% of body surface area burns were seen in 51.4% of patients, less than 10% in 20% of patients, and &gt;20% burns in 28.6% of patients. The majority of the patients (37.1%) had a full-thickness burn, followed by mixed burns (31.4%), deep partial-thickness burns (20%), and superficial partial-thickness burns (11.4%). Twenty-eight patients stayed in the hospital for 1 to 14 days, 04 patients for 15 to 30 days, and 03 patients for 31 to 45 days. Conclusion: Epilepsy-related burns are a serious public health concern in developing nations, putting a significant burden on burn units due to the severity of the burns and the duration of hospital admissions.

Experimenting with Pig-based Skin Model for Burns. Testing of Mean Literature Findings.

Introduction: Animal models that closely mimic human burn wound healing processes are essential for developing effective burn wound treatments. Pigs are useful animal models for studying burn wound healing. From their extensive literature review, Andrews and Cuttle (2017) reported mean temperature and exposure time values. This study was done to provide initial burn depth for another experiment comparing two burn wound treatments. The secondary goal was to validate a systematic review on porcine burn model standardization. Material and Methods: Six four-week-old Large White x Landrace gilts were housed in a closed structure for 10 days to acclimatize. The procedures were performed under general anesthesia. A round 2.5 cm copper plate welded to an aluminum rod with a wooden handle caused the injuries. The burning device was used to reach a contact temperature of 110 C on the pig's skin. The objective was to create a superficial partial thickness (SPT) burn for 10 seconds (Group 10s) and a deep partial thickness (DPT) burn for 20 seconds (Group 20s) using a plate heated at 110ºC. No stabilizer or pressure controller was used. Wounds were conclusively dressed and harvested 24 hours later. The usual hematoxylin-eosin protocol was used to cut and stain 4-micron sections. Results: A significant difference (p 0.01) was observed in dermis involvement, with a mean of 85.61 % (95% CI= 80.62 to 90.61) for group 10s and 123.71% (95% CI= 114.91 to 132.50) for group 20s. An exposure time of 20 seconds increased dermis depth-related total collagen denaturation by almost 50% compared to 10 seconds. Conclusions: In conclusion, our experiment produced DPT burns in 10 seconds and FT burns in 20 seconds without a pressure application device.

Using Computer Vision and Artificial Intelligence to Track the Healing of Severe Burns.

Burn care management includes assessing the severity of burns accurately, especially distinguishing superficial partial-thickness burns from deep partial-thickness burns, in the context of providing definitive, downstream treatment. Moreover, the healing of the wound in the subacute care setting requires continuous tracking to avoid complications. Artificial intelligence (AI) and computer vision (CV) provide a unique opportunity to build low-cost and accessible tools to classify burn severity and track changes in wound parameters, both in the clinic by physicians and nurses and asynchronously in the remote setting by the patient themselves. Wound assessments can be achieved by AI-CV using the principles of image-guided therapy using high-quality 2D color images. Wound parameters can include wound 2D spatial dimension and the characterization of wound color changes, which demonstrates physiological changes such as the presentation of eschar/necrotic tissue, pustulence, granulation tissue, and scabbing. Here we present the development of AI-CV-based Skin Abnormality Tracking Algorithm pipeline. Additionally, we provide the results on a single localized burn tracked for a 6-week period in the clinic and an additional 2-week period of home monitoring.

Treatment of superficial and deep partial width second degree burn's wound with allogeneic cord blood platelet gel.

Burns are caused by a variety of mechanisms, including flames, hot liquids, metallurgy, chemicals, electric current, and ionizing and non-ionizing radiation. The most significant burn wound management involves complete repair and regeneration as soon as possible while minimizing infection, contraction, and scarring in the damaged tissue area. Some factors such as delivery of nutrients, growth factors, and oxygen are essential to promote and stimulate the wound healing progress in the burns area. When these factors are not provided, the burn wound undergoes a physiological crisis. The use of growth factors is a promising approach to overcoming this limitation. Umbilical cord blood platelet concentrates are a rich natural source of growth factors. This clinical trial used growth factors released from the lysis of umbilical cord blood platelet concentrates that have a key role in promoting re-epithelization and regeneration of damaged tissues by forming a fibrin network. This study evaluated the effectiveness of allogeneic cord blood platelet gel topical dressing in a group of patients diagnosed with superficial and deep partial thickness (second-degree) burn wounds. Clinical outcomes were compared between the intervention group and a control group of patients with superficial second-degree burn wounds who received the standard routine treatment including paraffin gauze wound dressing and silver sulfadiazine ointment. The study's results showed that the increased rate of recovery and tissue granulation completely promoted to wound healing and burn wound closure, decreased the recovery time, and reduced inflammation and scars caused by burn injuries. However, the use of cord blood platelet gel topical dressing is not currently a routine treatment method in patients suffering from burn wounds. However, the study's results showed that allogenic cord blood platelet gel could be used to treat superficial and deep second-degree burns as a routine treatment. It was also shown that allogenic cord blood platelet gel topical dressing could be a candidate for autograft or after autograft skin transplantation surgery (in donor and recipient sites) instead of skin surgery in some patients. Allogeneic topical wound dressing provides an effective treatment that offers a faster rate of epithelialization and healing of wounds and also decreases patients' scar and inflammation level as well as the length of recovery time. This, finally, leads to better burn wound management and the improved quality of burn wound treatment.

Outcome of Facial Burn Injuries Treated by a Nanofibrous Temporary Epidermal Layer.

The face is commonly affected in thermal injuries, with a demand for proper recognition and the correct choice of treatment to guarantee optimal aesthetic and functional outcomes. It is highly vascularized and often heals conservatively, highlighting the particular relevance of conservative treatment modalities, many of which require daily re-applications or dressing changes, which can be painful and tedious for both the patient and the healthcare providers. Motivated by encouraging results of a novel temporary nanofibrous epidermal layer, we herein present a case series of this technology in a case series of patients suffering from facial burns and treated in our Burn Center. Patients with superficial partial-thickness facial burns and mixed pattern burns, which were treated with SpinCare™, an electrospun nanofibrous temporary epidermal layer, between 2019 and 2021, at our institution were analyzed retrospectively. The Manchester scar scale (MSS) and numeric rating scale (NRS) were used for scar, pain, and outcome evaluation at different time points by five independent board-certified plastic surgeons with profound experience in burn surgery. Ten patients (m = 9; f = 1) were treated and evaluated retrospectively. The mean age was 38.8 ± years (SD ± 17.85). The mean healing time was 6.4 days (SD ± 1.56). The mean follow-up was 16.4 months (SD ± 11.33). The mean MSS score was 5.06 (SD ± 1.31), and the mean NRS Score for pain was significantly reduced from initially 7 to 0.875 upon application (mean (pre-application) 7 ± 0.7 and (application) 0.875 ± 1.26; p ≤ 0.0001). Patients reported a NRS score of 10 in terms of functional and cosmetic outcomes at their final follow-up appointment. No adverse effects were observed. The application of a nanofibrous temporary epidermal layer such as SpinCare™ represents a relatively easy-to-use, well-tolerated, and effective alternative for the treatment of partial-thickness facial burns.

Effectiveness of Aloe Vera Gel in Management of Superficial Burn in Children

Background: Aloe vera has been used traditionally for healing burn and inflammation. Though, the evidence for the effectiveness of aloe vera for healing burn is not sufficient.&#x0D; Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of aloe vera gel in management of superficial burn in children.&#x0D; Methods: This retrospective study was taken place in the Department of Burn and Reconstructive Surgery, Bangladesh Shishu Hospital &amp; Institute, Dhaka and other two privet clinics at Dhaka, from September, 2019 to March, 2022. Total 47 patients with superficial partial thickness burn was included in the study.&#x0D; Results: In this study, majority (48.94%) patients were belonged to the age group of £24 months. The mean age was found 38.9±26.31 months. The current study observed that almost two third (61.70%) patients were male. In our study, majority (63.83%) patients stayed hospital for 1-5 days. In the present study, mean (±SD) pain relief time was 3.56±1.24 days and mean (±SD) wound healing time was found 8.19±1.6 days. The current study observed that only 3(6.38%) patients had found wound infection. In current study showed that mean treatment cost was found 76.46±31.88 Taka.&#x0D; Conclusion: Aloe vera gel facilitated early pain alleviation, wound healing, and costeffective superficial burn treatment in children. Therefore, it can be utilized to treat superficial burns in children to get better results.&#x0D; DS (Child) H J 2021; 38(1): 39-43

72 Multi-Spectral SWIR Imaging in Humans Reveals Correlations with Distinct Skin Burn Depths

Abstract Introduction Burn depth determination is a critical aspect of burn patient care but currently lacks accuracy in clinical practice. We have shown first in animal models and then in a two-patient characterization that Short Wave Infrared (SWIR) imaging, which penetrates tissue better than visual or near-infrared light and is very sensitive to water content, can distinguish between superficial and deep tissue necrosis. Here we present the findings from our pilot study of 10 patients showing the use of multi-spectral SWIR imaging of human burn injury as a potential technique for burn depth determination. Methods Ten patients admitted for mixed depth thermal injuries between 5-40% TBSA were analyzed using our SWIR assessment tool. Prior to burn excision the SWIR system was used to image burn areas and normal skin at 4 different SWIR wavelengths (Figure 1A). Standard photographs from imaged areas were collected and presented for 5 independent, blinded, surgeons’ assessments. Using the visual and SWIR images, 5-15 regions of interest (ROI) were selected from each of the burned areas and normalized to adjacent normal skin and the reflected light intensity in each ROI was averaged at each wavelength. Statistics were done using Mann-Whitney U tests. Results Visual and SWIR images were collected from burn areas in 10 patients for a total of 273 burn ROIs. The ROIs were assessed by the surgeons with ROIs being agreed upon as being superficial or superficial partial thickness (SPT) (n=47), deep partial thickness (DPT) (n=97), or full thickness (FT) (n=129) burns by a majority (60% or above) consensus. As seen in Figure 1B, the reflectance intensities (RIs) from superficial and SPT burns were significantly different than the DPT burns at the 1940 nm wavelength (p=0.05) and significantly different than FT burns at 1200 nm (p=0.008) and 1940 nm (p=0.009). When DPT and FT burns were compared there was a significant difference a 1200 nm (p=0.003) and 2250 nm (p=0.01). Conclusions Here we present a 10 patient SWIR pilot study demonstrating distinct ROIs of SWIR wavelengths for different burn depths based on consensus surgeon assessments. Overall, as burn depth increases, the 1200 and 2250 nm wavelengths show increasing RIs and 1940 nm show decreasing RIs. These results motivate further studies of SWIR imaging including pending histological analysis in the hope to non-invasively and accurately identify operative versus non-operative burns. Applicability of Research to Practice This new SWIR technology may enable us to more objectively assess burn depth, leading to improved surgical decision making and better patient outcomes.

75 Tranexamic Acid Reduces Burn Wound Conversion and Lung Inflammation in a Murine Comb Burn Model

Abstract Introduction Burn wound conversion is a process where superficial partial thickness burns convert into deep partial and even full thickness burn injuries. Unfortunately, the pathophysiology of this phenomenon is poorly understood. A therapeutic intervention that may prevent secondary progression and cell death in burn-injured tissue is desirable. Recent work by our group has established that tranexamic acid (TXA) has significant anti-inflammatory properties in addition to its well-known anti-fibrinolytic effects. This study investigates tranexamic acid as a novel therapeutic treatment to mitigate burn wound conversion and reduce systemic inflammation. Methods Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to a hot comb burn contact injury using a 150-g brass comb preheated to 100°C, to create four rectangular burns, separated by three unburned interspaces. A subset of animals underwent the comb burn injury with an adjacent 30% TBSA contact injury using solid brass rods. The interspaces represent the ischemic zones simulating the zone of stasis. The treatment group received IP injection of TXA (100mg/kg) immediately after injury and once daily until sacrifice. Sham animals underwent an identical procedure, with application of a room temperature comb. Animals were sacrificed at 6hrs and 7-day time points post-injury. Photo images were obtained of the comb burn injury. Full-thickness biopsies from the ischemic zones and lung tissue were assessed with established histological and immunohistochemical (IHC) techniques. Results At 7-days post injury, the percentage of ischemic zones with necrosis was significantly reduced in the treatment group when compared with untreated burn controls by photographic image analysis. When compared with controls, the treatment groups had significantly less progression of ischemic zones to necrosis when assessed by standard microscopy. These findings were consistent in both the comb burn only and comb burn + 30%TBSA injury models. The TXA treatment group demonstrated significantly more expression of the regeneration marker (CTHRC-1) and a trend toward increased expression of the Ki-67 proliferation marker when compared to untreated burn group. At 6 hours post-injury, TXA significantly decreased infiltration of neutrophils in the lungs for the 30%TBSA burn injury model. Furthermore, systemic levels of mitochondrial DNA, IL-1α and TNFα were significantly lower in TXA treated animals when compared to untreated burn controls. Conclusions Animals treated with tranexamic acid demonstrated reduced burn wound conversion and decreased burn-induced SIRS response. Lung inflammation was also significantly reduced by administration of TXA after injury. Applicability of Research to Practice Tranexamic acid and agents with similar mechanisms of action may provide a treatment to reduce burn wound conversion. This therapy could be easily incorporated into standard acute burn care practices.

A Hand-Held, Single-Sided NMR Sensor for Full-Thickness Skin Detection

To rapidly assess burn depth, a hand-held, single-sided NMR sensor was designed for full-thickness skin detection. The sensor is composed of a single-sided magnet, a radio frequency coil, a matching circuit, and an aluminum shell. The permanent magnet array was optimized using the sparrow search algorithm with low vertical gradient strength and each layer obtaining maximal uniformity in field of view. The actual measured magnetic field of the single-sided magnet is perfect match with the simulation results. Experimental results of depth–transverse relaxation time(T <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sub> ) map prove that this sensor has high sensitivity to distinguish deep dermal and full thickness burns and superficial partial-thickness burns.

Current clinical practice of orofacial contracture management in head and neck burn patients among physical therapists of Hyderabad.

To evaluate the current clinical practices of orofacial contracture management among physical therapists dealing with head and neck burn patients. The cross-sectional observational study was conducted at the Isra Institute of Rehabilitation Sciences, Hyderabad, Pakistan, from May 14 to December 31, 2021, and comprised physical therapists working in different hospitals and clinics and having clinical experience >1 year. Data was collected using a questionnaire based on literature which included questions related to demographics, service provision, clinical training, orofacial burn wound assessment, orofacial contracture intervention and outcome measurement in multiple choice, dichotomous or open response formats. Data was analysed using SPSS 22. Of the 100 subjects, 38(38%) were males and 62(62%) were females, while 71(71%) were aged 20-30 years, 22(22%) were aged 31-40 years, and 7(7%) were aged 41-50 years. Besides, 57(57%) physical therapists used stretching/exercise in the management of superficial-partial thickness burn, while 49(49%) used it in deep-partial thickness burn, and 44(44%) in full-thickness burn. Also, 43(43%) therapists used presence or maturation of the scar tissue as the indicator to escalate/reduce the intensity of the treatment. Regarding splinting, 49(49%) therapists used it on the 5th day of grafting and 35(35%) used it after complete healing. There was minimal knowledge regarding the use of specific interventions and specific regimes at particular stages.

Evaluating effects of burn injury characteristics on quality of life in pediatric burn patients and caregivers

ObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to evaluate pediatric burn patients’ and caregivers’ quality of life (QoL), while identifying clinical characteristics correlated with psychological stress. MethodsPediatric burn patients at an ABA-verified institution from November 2019-January 2021 were included. Caregivers of patients 0–4 years completed the Infant’s Dermatology QoL Index (IDQOL). Patients> 4–16 years completed the Children’s Dermatology Life Quality Index (CDLQI). The Short Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Rating Interview (SPRINT) measured caregivers’ stress. Generalized linear mixed models evaluated associations between assessment scores and burn characteristics. ResultsOverall, 27.3% (39/143) of IDQOL and 53.1.% (41/96) of CDLQI scores indicated that patients’ burns caused moderate to extremely large effects on QoL. In caregivers, 4.5% (7/159) scored> 14 on the SPRINT, warranting further PTSD evaluation. For the IDQOL, each additional 1% TBSA burn was associated with a 2.75-point increase (p = 0.05), and patients sustaining 2nd degree deep partial thickness burns scored an average of 3.3 points higher compared to 2nd degree superficial partial thickness burns (P < 0.01). CLDQI and SPRINT scores demonstrated a similar pattern. ConclusionsQoL is impacted in a substantial proportion of pediatric burn patients. Larger TBSA and increased burn depths cause significantly more psychological stress in children, and caregivers may require more extensive psychological evaluation.

Effect of Collagen Dressing in the Treatment of Superficial Partial Thickness Burn in Children

Introduction: Burn is the most devastating of all injuries and a major global public health crisis. Biological dressings with collagen create the most physiological interface between the wound surface and environment and are impermeable to bacteria. Collagen dressing is easily applicable, non-immunogenic, non-pyrogenic, hypo allergic and pain free. Collagen is an endogenous substance which forms an important structural component in connective tissue. By applying it over the wound, exposed dermis and free nerve endings get covered leading to reduction in pain and infection. Objective: To assess the efficacy of collagen dressing in burn wound management. Methods: Prospective interventional study was carried out at the Department of Burn and Reconstructive Surgery, faculty of Paediatric Surgery, Bangladesh Shishu Hospital &amp; Institute. A total 20 patients were included in this study after fulfillment of all selection criteria during the study period. Result: The mean pain relief time, wound healing and hospital stay were 2.7±0.6 days, 7.3±1.0 days and 4.5±0.6 days respectively. Conclusion: Collagen dressing is safe and effective in the treatment of superficial partial thickness burn in children.

GL-FusionNet: Fusing global and local features to classify deep and superficial partial thickness burn.

Burns constitute one of the most common injuries in the world, and they can be very painful for the patient. Especially in the judgment of superficial partial thickness burns and deep partial thickness burns, many inexperienced clinicians are easily confused. Therefore, in order to make burn depth classification automated as well as accurate, we have introduced the deep learning method. This methodology uses a U-Net to segment burn wounds. On this basis, a new thickness burn classification model that fuses global and local features (GL-FusionNet) is proposed. For the thickness burn classification model, we use a ResNet50 to extract local features, use a ResNet101 to extract global features, and finally implement the add method to perform feature fusion and obtain the deep partial or superficial partial thickness burn classification results. Burns images are collected clinically, and they are segmented and labeled by professional physicians. Among the segmentation methods, the U-Net used achieved a Dice score of 85.352 and IoU score of 83.916, which are the best results among all of the comparative experiments. In the classification model, different existing classification networks are mainly used, as well as a fusion strategy and feature extraction method that are adjusted to conduct experiments; the proposed fusion network model also achieved the best results. Our method yielded the following: accuracy of 93.523, recall of 93.67, precision of 93.51, and F1-score of 93.513. In addition, the proposed method can quickly complete the auxiliary diagnosis of the wound in the clinic, which can greatly improve the efficiency of the initial diagnosis of burns and the nursing care of clinical medical staff.