Circumferential burns: In cases where a full thickness burn affects the entire circumference of a digit, extremity, or even the torso, this is called a circumferential burn.In addition, eschar makes it more difficult for antibodies and antibiotics to reach the wound site. With severe burns, hard, avascular eschar forms, providing an environment prone to microbial growth. However, this physical barrier is broken with partial- or full-thickness burns wounds. Infection: One of the main functions of the skin is to act as a barrier against outside infection.Respiratory: Damage to the airways caused by inhaling smoke, steam, extremely hot air, or toxic fumes.Friction: Caused by friction between the skin and hard surfaces, such as roads, carpets or floors.Chemical: Caused by contact with highly acidic or basic substances.Radiation: Caused by prolonged exposure to sources of UV radiation such as sunlight (sunburn), tanning booths, or sunlamps or by X-rays, radiation therapy or radioactive fallout.Electrical: Caused by contact with electrical sources or, in much more rare circumstances, by lightning strike.Thermal: Caused by fire, hot objects, steam or hot liquids (scalding).Etiologyĭeep partial-thickness burns can be caused by a large variety of external factors. Depending on how much nerve damage has taken place, deep partial-thickness burns can be relatively painless. Blanching may occur, but color will return slowly or not at all. With deep partial-thickness burns (deep second-degree), the skin will typically be splotchy red or waxen and white, wet, and not form blisters. The following approximations can be used for adults:Īdditionally, the palm (not including the fingers or wrist area) is approximately 1% of the total surface area of the body, and can be used to approximate noncontiguous burn areas. Partial- or full-thickness burns on more than 15% of the body require immediate professional medical attention. The "rule of nines" is a method of approximation used to determine what percentage of the body is burned. Damage to this layer of the skin is classified as a deep partial-thickness burn, and can lead to significant scarring.Īnother contributing factor to burn severity is how much of the body is affected. The reticular region of the dermis contains not only connective tissue, but hair follicles, sebaceous and sweat glands, cutaneous sensory receptors, and blood vessels. Partial-thickness burns that only extend down to this layer of the skin are considered superficial. This area is composed mostly of connective tissue and serves only to strengthen the connection between the epidermis and the dermis. The dermis itself is divided into two regions, the uppermost being the papillary region. When burns extend through the epidermis and into the dermis, they are considered to be partial-thickness burns. For a comparison of the two classification systems, see the table below. For the sake of this article, burns will be described by thickness. However, a more precise classification system referring to the thickness or depth of the wound is now more commonly used. Traditionally, burns are characterized by degree, with first being least severe and third being most. Most burns only affect the uppermost layers of skin, but depending on the depth of the burn, underlying tissues can also be affected. Burns can vary in severity from mild to life-threatening. A burn is an injury to the tissue of the body, typically the skin.
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