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The majority of burn patients are treated and released from the ED. Of those hospitalized, more than 60% are admitted to one of the country's 127 burn centers. The risk of death from a major burn is associated with larger burn size, advanced age, concomitant inhalation injury, and female sex.
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Burns are categorized by their size and depth. Burn size is calculated as the percentage of body surface area (BSA) involved. The most common method to estimate this is the Rule of Nines (Fig. 125-1). A more accurate tool, especially in infants and children, is the Lund and Browder burn diagram (Fig. 125-2). For smaller burns, the patient's hand can be used to estimate the size of the burn. The area of the back of the patient's hand represents approximately 1% of BSA, and the number of “hands” represents the BSA burned.
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Burn depth historically has been described in degrees: first, second, third, and fourth. A more clinically relevant classification scheme categorizes burns as superficial partial thickness, deep partial thickness, and full thickness. Table 125-1 summarizes the characteristics of each type of burn.
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Inhalation injury occurs most frequently in closed-space fires and in patients with decreased cognition (intoxication, overdose, head injury). Both the upper and lower airway can be injured by heat, particulate matter, and toxic gases. Thermal injury is usually limited to the upper airway, and can result in acute airway compromise. Particulate matter can reach the terminal bronchioles and lead to bronchospasm and edema. Clinical indicators of inhalation injury include facial burns, singed nasal hair, soot in the upper airway, hoarseness, carbonaceous sputum, and wheezing. Carbon monoxide poisoning should be suspected in all patients with inhalation injuries. Hydrogen cyanide poisoning should be considered in fires involving nitrogen-containing polymer ...