Problems associated with transfer of patients to a regional burns unit

Pediatric First-Degree Burn Management With Honey and 1% Silver Sulfadiazine (Ag-SD): Comparison and Contrast

Background The cardinal area of managing fire wounds is guided by adequately evaluating the burn-induced lesion's profundity and size. Superficial second-degree burns are often treated through daily reinstating with fresh sterile bandaging with appropriate topical antimicrobials to allow rapid spontaneous epithelialization. Around the world, a wide variety of substances are used to treat these wounds, from honey to synthetic biological dressings. Objective This study intended to determine honey's therapeutic potential compared with 1% silver sulfadiazine (Ag-SD) in arsenal-caused contusion medicament fulfillment. Methods A total of 70 cases were evaluated in this research work after fulfilling the required selection criteria during the study period of January 2014 to December 2014 and January 2017 to December 2017. Purposive selection criteria were adopted in the study to select research patients. The patients in Group-1 (n = 35) relied on honey as medication, while patients in Group-2 (n = 35) relied on 1% Ag-SD. Results In Group-1, exudation (68.4%) and sloughing (82.9%) were substantially reduced by Days 3 and 5 of therapeutic intervention, respectively. However, in Group-2, a reduction of exudation (17.1%) and sloughing (22.9%) occurred after Days 3 and 5 of treatment, respectively. Completion of the epithelialization process was observed among Group-1 and Group-2 cases. It was detected after Days 7 and 10 of treatment at 36.3% and 77% (Group-1) and 27% and 67% (Group-2), respectively. Around 3 ml of 1% honey was required per body surface area per dressing in Group-1. On the other hand, in Group-2, 2 gm Ag-SD was needed per body surface area per dressing. Conclusion Patients treated with honey found better clinical outcomes in managing superficial partial-thickness burns.

A 1%TBSA chart reduces math errors while retaining acceptable first-estimate accuracy

Life-threatening and treatment-altering errors occur in estimates of the percentage of total body surface area burned (%TBSA burned) with unacceptable frequency. In response, numerous attempts have been made to improve the charts commonly used for %TBSA-burned estimation. Recent research shows that the largest errors in %TBSA-burned estimates probably come from sources other than inaccurate values in the charts. Here, we develop a taxonomy of the possible sources of error and their impact on %TBSA-burned estimates. Also, we observe that different caregivers have different estimation needs: First-responders require a rapid estimate with sufficient accuracy to enable them to begin care and determine patient transport options, while burn surgeons ordering skin grafts desire accuracy to the square centimeter, and can afford considerable time to attain that accuracy. These competing needs suggest that a one-tool-fits-all-caregivers approach is suboptimal. We therefore present a validated, simplified burn chart that minimizes one of the largest sources of random errors in %TBSA-burned estimates—simple calculation errors—while also being quick and requiring little training. NCHart-1 also enables simple consensus estimates, as well as separation of estimation subtasks across caregivers, leading to several potential improvements in mass casualty situations. Our results demonstrate that NCHart-1 possesses the accuracy necessary for first responders, while reliably producing results in less than 2 minutes. Of 76 healthcare professionals surveyed, a large majority indicated a preference for NCHart-1 over their previous methods for ease of both use and training. For clinical or commercial use of NCHart-1, please contact: tech.commercialization@nationwidechildrens.org

Emergency Care of the Burn Patient Before the Burn Center: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Good burn care starts with correct management of the burn patient before transfer to a burn center. The purpose of this study was to perform a systematic review of the medical literature describing preburn center care. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were followed for this review. Studies were included if they were published from a burn center and they measured or evaluated any aspect of preburn center care of adult or pediatric acute burn patients referred to that burn center. A comprehensive search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases was performed from their inception to May 28, 2018. Outcomes of interest included errors in burn size estimation, airway management, fluid resuscitation, dressings and wound care, use of systemic antibiotics, core temperature monitoring and preservation, and analgesia provision. Meta-analysis of the discrepancy between preburn center and burn center burn size estimation was conducted. From 3768 initially identified titles, 37 studies were included in this systematic review. Burn size estimation was frequently inaccurate. The ratio of overestimation to underestimation in burn size ranged between 2.2:1 and 19:1. The pooled mean absolute error in % total body surface area burn was 6.28 (95% CI: 4.72, 7.85). The average relative percent error in burn size estimation by referring providers ranged between 75% and 3500%. Unnecessary endotracheal intubation was performed in 28% to 53% of transfers. Over-estimation and over-delivery of fluid resuscitation volumes was prevalent, but other problems pertaining to resuscitation included administration of the wrong fluid and failure to titrate fluids. Wounds were not consistently covered with simple dry dressings or sheets. Core temperature was not consistently monitored or preserved. Analgesics were often not given or were of insufficient dose. Many elements of preburn center care need improvement. These findings should be used to form the foundation of future initiatives between burn professionals and emergency providers to improve care of the burn patient before transfer to a burn center.

Comparison of the characteristics of hot tap water scalds and other scalds in Germany

BACKGROUND/AIM

Mortality associated with hot tap water scalds remains significant, owing to a lack of up-to-date regulations on tap water temperature. We aimed to evaluate the effect of hot tap water scalds on patients admitted to our adult burn intensive care unit (BICU), and compare them to those with other scald types.

METHODS

We enrolled patients treated for scalds at the BICU of Cologne-Merheim Medical Center from 1989 to 2014, and retrospectively analyzed their age, sex-specific differences, characteristics, length of hospital stay, number of operations, and mortality. Patients were categorized into two groups: patients with hot tap water scalds and those with all other types of scalds.

RESULTS

A total of 333 patients were enrolled. In 23.4% (n=78) of the cases, the scalds were associated with hot tap water. Such injuries were more commonly observed in older men than women. Hot tap water scalds involved a significantly higher total burned surface area (TBSA) than other scalds, with TBSA values of 24.0% and 15.9% for men, and 21.8% and 10.9% for women, respectively. Hot tap water scald patients had a greater number of surgeries and longer BICU stays (27.8 days vs 9.1 days), and significantly higher mortality values (30.8% (n=24) vs 4.7% (n=12)) than those with the other scald types.

CONCLUSIONS

Hot water scalds are associated with large TBSAs, long stays in the BICU, and worse outcomes compared to the other scald types.

The effect of transfers between health care facilities on costs and length of stay for pediatric burn patients

Hospitals vary widely in the services they offer to care for pediatric burn patients. When a hospital does not have the ability or capacity to handle a pediatric burn, the decision often is made to transfer the patient to another short-term hospital. Transfers may be based on available specialty coverage for children; which adult and non-teaching hospitals may not have available. The effect these transfers have on costs and length of stay (LOS) has on pediatric burn patients is not well established and is warranted given the prominent view that pediatric hospitals are inefficient or more costly. The authors examined inpatient admissions for pediatric burn patients in 2003, 2006, and 2009 using the Kids' Inpatient Database, which is part of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project. ICD-9-CM codes 940 to 947 were used to define burn injury. The authors tested if transfer status was associated with LOS and total charges for pediatric burn patients, while adjusting for traditional risk factors (eg, age, TBSA, insurance status, type of hospital [pediatric vs adult; teaching vs nonteaching]) by using generalized linear mixed-effects modeling. A total of n = 28,777 children had a burn injury. Transfer status (P < .001) and TBSA (P < .001) was independently associated with LOS, while age, insurance status, and type of hospital were not associated with LOS. Similarly, transfer status (P < .001) and TBSA (P < .001) was independently associated with total charges, while age, insurance status, and type of hospital were not associated with total charges. In addition, the data suggest that the more severe pediatric burn patients are being transferred from adult and non-teaching hospitals to pediatric and teaching hospitals, which may explain the increased costs and LOS seen at pediatric hospitals. Larger more severe burns are being transferred to pediatric hospitals with the ability or capacity to handle these conditions in the pediatric population, which has a dramatic impact on costs and LOS. As a result, unadjusted, pediatric hospitals are seen as being inefficient in treating pediatric burns. However, since pediatric hospitals see more severe cases, after adjustment, type of hospital did not influence costs and LOS. TBSA and transfer status were the predictors studied that independently affect costs and LOS.

Burn size estimation in children: still a problem

BACKGROUND

Accurate determination of burn size and depth forms an integral part of the initial assessment of any burn injury. Errors might lead to inaccurate fluid resuscitation and inappropriate transfer of patients to specialized burns units (BUs). Although recent data suggest some improvement in the estimation of burn injury in adults, this has not been shown in children.

METHODS

A retrospective review of children with burn injuries referred to the BU of our institution was performed. Data were collected from all patients presenting to the BU during the calendar year 2009. The total body surface area burned (TBSA-B) estimated by the referring centre was compared with the actual TBSA determined measured on arrival at the BU.

RESULTS

Of the 71 paediatric patients referred during the study period, 10 did not have any TBSA-B estimation documented by the referring hospital. Inaccurate estimation of burn area was noted in 48 out of 61 patients (79%). Burn size was more likely to be overestimated than underestimated by a ratio of 2.2 to 1, especially in burns >10% TBSA-B (P= 0.002).

CONCLUSIONS

Inaccurate estimation of burn size remains a problem in children. The persistent miscalculation of burn size might be a result of the various methods employed in assessing burn area, the inclusion of simple erythema and inadequate training or exposure of first responders. Accurate assessment of TBSA-B and burn depth in children remains elusive and would appear to require additional training and education.

Audit of protocols for treatment of paediatric burns in emergency departments in the Île de France

INTRODUCTION

The main purpose of this study was to establish the existence and accuracy of protocols for treatment of children with burns in emergency departments (EDs) across the Île de France. In addition, we also analysed the incidence of paediatric burns.

METHODS

A postal questionnaire was sent to 91 EDs in the Île de France. Data collected were: number of children with burns in 2005, the absence or presence of specific written protocols. The ED was asked to send a copy of the protocol for analysis.

RESULTS

Forty-six EDs (50.5%) replied to the questionnaire. These EDs treated a total of 3258 children with burns, corresponding to 0.63% of paediatric pathologies in EDs. Amongst responding EDs, 48% had specific written protocols for the management of children with burns (but only in the larger EDs: >10000 patient visits/year). A written protocol for managing pain in children was present in 65% of cases. For analgesia, 80% used oxygen/nitrous oxide. Concerning second-step analgesics, six EDs 67% used a combination of paracetamol/codeine and only 22% used non-steroidal antiflammatory drug. Regarding third-step analgesics, 67% used nalbuphine while only 43% used morphine.

CONCLUSION

3,200 children were registered with burns in half of the region's EDs during 2005 (0.63% of paediatric consultations). The larger the ED the higher was the availability of specific written protocols. International recommendations appeared to be respected concerning dressings, management of pain being marked by an under-utilisation of morphine.

Geographic access to burn center hospitals

CONTEXT

The delivery of burn care is a resource-intensive endeavor that requires specialized personnel and equipment. The optimal geographic distribution of burn centers has long been debated; however, the current distribution of centers relative to geographic area and population is unknown.

OBJECTIVE

To estimate the proportion of the US population living within 1 and 2 hours by rotary air transport (helicopter) or ground transport of a burn care facility.

DESIGN AND SETTING

A cross-sectional analysis of geographic access to US burn centers utilizing the 2000 US census, road and speed limit data, the Atlas and Database of Air Medical Services database, and the 2008 American Burn Association Directory.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

The proportion of state, regional, and national population living within 1 and 2 hours by air transport or ground transport of a burn care facility.

RESULTS

In 2008, there were 128 self-reported burn centers in the United States including 51 American Burn Association-verified centers. An estimated 25.1% and 46.3% of the US population live within 1 and 2 hours by ground transport, respectively, of a verified burn center. By air, 53.9% and 79.0% of the population live within 1 and 2 hours, respectively, of a verified center. There was significant regional variation in access to verified burn centers by both ground and rotary air transport. The greatest proportion of the population with access was highest in the northeast region and lowest in the southern United States.

CONCLUSION

Nearly 80% of the US population lives within 2 hours by ground or rotary air transport of a verified burn center; however, there is both state and regional variation in geographic access to these centers.

Influence of injury characteristics and payer status on burn treatment location in Washington state

The provision of optimal burn care is a resource-intensive endeavor. The American Burn Association has developed criteria to help guide the decision to refer a patient to a burn center for definitive injury care. The purpose of this study was to compare the patient and injury characteristics of patients admitted to the single verified burn center in Washington State with those treated at other facilities in the state. We performed a retrospective review of all patients admitted to a hospital with a burn injury in Washington State from 1987 to 2005 using the state's discharge database (Comprehensive Hospital Abstract Reporting System). Patient and injury factors of patients admitted to the state's single verified burn center or at other hospitals were compared. Multivariate poisson regression was used to calculate the relative risk of injury and patient factors that were significantly associated with admission to the verified burn center. From 1987 to 2005, a total of 16,531 patients were admitted to a Washington State hospital after burn injury. Of these patients, 8624 (52.2%) were treated definitively at the University of Washington Burn Center. Patients treated at this verified center had larger overall burn size (7.4% vs 4.5% TBSA, P < .001), higher percent full-thickness burn (4.3% vs 1.2%, P < .001), and higher rates of inhalation injury (2.3% vs 1.5%, P = .005). Uninsured status (relative risk = 1.46, 95% confidence interval = 1.4-1.5) was also significantly associated with treatment at the verified burn center. Injury severity and payer status were both found to be independent predictors of treatment at the single verified burn center in Washington.

An Analysis of the Long-Distance Transport of Burn Patients to a Regional Burn Center

The concentration of specialized burn care to relatively few centers within relatively large geographic regions requires an organized system of patient triage, referral, and transport. The purpose of this study was to identify systematic errors in either the initial evaluation or care of burn patients requiring transport more than 90 miles to a single regional burn center. Therefore, we undertook a descriptive analysis of patients transported more than 90 miles to a single regional burn center from 2000 to 2003. The outcomes of interest were duration of transport, errors in burn size estimation, errors in fluid management, appropriateness of intubation, and complications during transport. During the years 2000 to 2003, there were 1877 admissions to the burn center; 949 (51%) were transferred from an outside facility. Of these 949, 424 (45%) were transferred more than 90 miles from a referring facility to our burn center. The average transport time from injury to our burn center was 7.2 hours (range, 1.6-48). There were no patient deaths during transport, and the most common complications were loss of or inability to secure intravenous access and inability to secure an airway. Burn size estimates differed significantly (P < .001) between referring providers and burn center physicians. This study confirms that patients can be transported safely and efficiently over long distances to a regional burn center. Given the current geographic distribution of burn centers and concerns about declining numbers of burn surgeons, organized systems of patient triage and transport may become increasingly important.

An outcome analysis of patients transferred to a regional burn center: transfer status does not impact survival

BACKGROUND

Optimal burn care is provided at specialized burn centers. Given the geographic location of these centers, many burn patients receive initial treatment at local emergency departments prior to transfer. The purpose of this study was to determine whether patients transferred from other facilities have worse outcomes than those admitted directly from the field.

STUDY DESIGN

A retrospective cohort study was performed comparing the outcomes of patients admitted to our burn center directly from the field with patients requiring transfer from a preliminary care facility. The outcomes of interest were mortality, length of stay, length of stay/TBSA burned, number of operations and hospital charges. Poisson regression or Cox proportional hazards model was used to evaluate differences in outcomes after adjusting for potential confounders.

RESULTS

From 2000 to 2003 a total of 1877 patients were admitted to our burn center and 953 (51%) were transferred from a preliminary care facility. No difference (p<0.05) was found in length of stay, number of operations, hospital charges and mortality between the two cohorts.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrates that patients transferred to a regional burn center from local hospitals have equivalent mortality, length of stay and hospital charges as those admitted directly from the field.

Consensus on the prehospital approach to burns patient management

Burns patients form a large group of trauma patients cared for by first aiders, ambulance staff, nurses, and doctors before reaching specialist care in hospital. Guidance for these important carers is often poor or confused and this engenders anxiety and detracts from optimal patient care. This paper outlines nine key steps in the initial management of burn patients in the prehospital environment based on current available evidence and a consensus of specialists from all disciplines caring for burns patients. The basis of care should be that simple things should always be performed well.

Should liability play a role in social control of biobanks?

Repositories of tissues, cell lines, blood samples, and other biological specimens are crucial to genomics, proteomics, and other emerging forms of biomedical research. Creation of these repositories by individual researchers and their affiliated organizations, commercial entities, and even governments has been labeled “biobanking” in the bioethics literature. Biobanking as a metaphor for the collection, transfer, and use of these specimens suggests a framework for the legal response to conflicts that may arise - one embedded in principles of contract law and property ownership with an overlay of legislatively authorized regulation of the “industry.”

Early in-hospital management of burn injuries in Australia

BACKGROUND

The accurate initial assessment and management of burn injuries influences subsequent clinical outcome. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate, over a 12-year period (1989-2001), changes in the practices of referring hospitals in terms of early management of patients with burn injuries prior to transfer to a burns unit.

METHODS

The details of all consecutive patients over two separate 12-month periods between June 1989 to May 1990 and between April 2000 and March 2001 who were transferred to the Burns Unit, Concord Repatriation General Hospital, Sydney, were prospectively recorded and retrospectively reviewed. In particular, the referral procedure, the accuracy of the referring hospital's assessment of burn size and initial fluid resuscitation were compared between the two time frames.

RESULTS

There were 51 patients in the initial 12-month period and 57 patients in the latter 12-month period. Regarding the transfer of the latter group of patients, the referring hospital liaised directly by telephone with the Burns Unit registrar or consultant significantly more often (77%vs 45%, respectively, P < 0.05). Similar proportions of patients in the two time periods received correct initial assessment of burn size (39% in the 1989-1990 group vs 42% in the 2000-2001 group, P = 0.76). The latter group of patients was significantly more likely to receive the correct choice of fluid for initial resuscitation at the referring hospital (98%vs 61%, respectively, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Over this 12-year period, there has been marked improvement in referral practices and appropriate initial fluid resuscitation for patients with burn injuries. Referring hospitals' assessment of burn size has not improved. Possible reasons for the observed changes include: increased postgraduate education programmes by the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons and the Australian and New Zealand Burns association; the formalization of emergency medicine training programmes by the Australasian College of Emergency Medicine and increasing awareness within the medical community of the presence of dedicated burns units.

Consensus on the pre-hospital approach to burns patient management

Burns patients form a large group of trauma patients cared for by first-aiders, ambulance staff, nurses and doctors before reaching specialist care in hospital. Guidance for these important carers is often poor or confused and this engenders anxiety and detracts from optimal patient care. This paper outlines nine key steps in the initial management of burn patients in the pre-hospital environment based on current available evidence and a consensus of specialists all disciplines caring for burns patients. The basis of care should be that simple things should always be performed well.

Consensus on the pre-hospital approach to burns patient management

Burns patients form a large group of trauma patients cared for by first aiders, ambulance staff, nurses and doctors before reaching specialist care in hospital. Guidance for these important carers is often poor or confused and this engenders anxiety and detracts from optimal patient care. This paper outlines nine key steps in the initial management of burn patients in the pre-hospital environment based on current available evidence and a consensus of specialists from all disciplines caring for burns patients. The basis of care should be that simple things should always be performed well.

Consensus on the prehospital approach to burns patient management

Burns patients form a large group of trauma patients cared for by rst-aiders, ambulance staff, nurses and doctors before reaching specialist care in hospital. Guidance for these important carers is often poor or confused and this engenders anxiety and detracts from optimal patient care. This paper outlines nine key steps in the initial management of burn patients in the prehospital environment based on current available evidence and a consensus of specialists of all disciplines caring for burns patients. The basis of care should be that simple things should always be performed well.

The importance of initial management: a case series of childhood burns in Vietnam

The success of treatment of childhood burns is critically dependent on how well the initial management is performed. In this case series of 695 children with burns transferred to the National Burn Institute (NBI) in Hanoi from peripheral hospitals, the initial management of each patient was assessed for the following initial management measures: removal of the cause and immediate cooling with water at the accident site; and pain relief, dry dressing, administration of oxygen, and adequate fluid replacement at the peripheral hospital. Overall, 61 of the 695 children died, but of the 95 patients who received all of these initial management measures, all survived. There were no cases of irreversible shock, acute renal failure, or multiple organ failure in the patients who received adequate initial management. Provision of adequate initial management was also significantly protective against septicaemia. Thus in this group of subjects who survived until admission, effective initial management significantly reduced the risk of death and other complications such as irreversible shock, septicaemia and multiple organ failure.

The UK pre-hospital management of burn patients: current practice and the need for a standard approach

INTRODUCTION

In any system of burn care, first-aid, packaging and transportation of the burn injured patient from outside of hospital is a most important contribution to the successful management and outcome. This study aimed to assess the current initial care of burn patients given by the statutory ambulance services and then compare this to a survey of opinions among the plastic surgery and burns consultants in the United Kingdom (UK).

METHODS

In 1999, each of the UK ambulance services was contacted via a postal questionnaire. A similar survey was sent to all of the plastic surgery consultants within the UK (taken from the specialist register) therefore, canvassing the plastic surgeons who deal less commonly with burn patients as well as the burns units.

RESULTS

A total of 58% of ambulance services said that they had no treatment policy for burns patients; 97% sent patients to their nearest A&E department; 84% of services employed cooling; 12 different types of dressing were used for burn patients; 74% of services used nalbuphine hydrochloride and 97% used entonox; 74% services gave oxygen to all burn patients; 90% cannulated patients, with or without fluid administration. Plastic surgical opinion indicated that the most important aspects of basic first-aid should include: stopping the burning process; cooling (15 min (median)); airway, breathing and circulation assessment; clothing removal and dressings (clingfilm). Oxygen need not be given to all patients, but they should be kept warm and administered entonox and/or intravenous morphine. Most surgeons felt that patients should be taken to the nearest A&E and the majority of surgeons caring for this large group of patients did not have good and regular liaison with their local ambulance service.

CONCLUSIONS

There seems to be a wide variation in the basic approach to the first-aid and pre-hospital care of burns patients. A significant improvement in management for this large and important group of patients is achievable, if a standard approach across all ambulance services could be achieved.

Evolution of the Emergency Management of Severe Burns (EMSB) course in the UK

The principle of the 'golden hour' is now well established and forms the basis of a growing number of instructional courses teaching a systematic approach to the management of major trauma. In April 1997, the EMSB course, developed by the Australian and New Zealand Burn Association, was adopted by the British Burn Association to meet the needs of health professionals dealing with major burn injuries in this country. The experience of the first 13 courses following the introduction of EMSB is discussed and the course is recommended as a requirement for the training of UK plastic surgeons and plastic surgery nurses.