Burn Recovery
Increasing numbers of individuals are surviving burn injuries that in the past would have proved fatal. Over the past 40 years, advances in burn management, such as in resuscitation, early excision and grafting, and surgical critical care, have dramatically improved the percentage of survivors of severe burn injuries. With this improvement in survival comes an increased need for comprehensive burn rehabilitation so that when a life is saved, the quality of lifestyle and participation in meaningful occupation are also preserved.
It has been estimated that more than 0.5 million burn injuries requiring medical treatment occur each year in the United States. This represents a significant decline in the incidence of burn injuries since the early …show more content…
Although functional recovery may be a long and arduous process, most burn survivors can expect to resume their roles, function at a level that is comparatively close to their preinjury level of independence, and continue engagement in occupation for satisfactory participation in life. However, from the date of injury through the outpatient phase of care, a multidisciplinary team approach is necessary to effectively manage the medical, functional, and psychosocial problems encountered during …show more content…
The severity of the injury depends on the area of the body exposed and the duration and intensity of thermal exposure. Burn wounds are classified by depth, which is determined by clinical assessment of the appearance, sensitivity, and pliability of the wound. Burn injuries were traditionally classified as first, second, third, and fourth degree; however, they are now classified as superficial, superficial partial thickness, deep partial thickness, full thickness, and subdermal. The depth of the injury is established by clinical determination of which anatomic layers of the skin are involved.
A superficial burn, sometimes referred to as a first degree burn, involves only the upper layers of the epidermis. Damage through the epidermis and upper third of the dermis is referred to as a superficial partial-thickness burn. The term deep partial-thickness burn describes an injury that extends down through the entire dermis. A subdermal burn involves the fatty layer, fascia, muscle, tendon, bone, or other subdermal tissues (those seen in electrical
It has been estimated that more than 0.5 million burn injuries requiring medical treatment occur each year in the United States. This represents a significant decline in the incidence of burn injuries since the early …show more content…
Although functional recovery may be a long and arduous process, most burn survivors can expect to resume their roles, function at a level that is comparatively close to their preinjury level of independence, and continue engagement in occupation for satisfactory participation in life. However, from the date of injury through the outpatient phase of care, a multidisciplinary team approach is necessary to effectively manage the medical, functional, and psychosocial problems encountered during …show more content…
The severity of the injury depends on the area of the body exposed and the duration and intensity of thermal exposure. Burn wounds are classified by depth, which is determined by clinical assessment of the appearance, sensitivity, and pliability of the wound. Burn injuries were traditionally classified as first, second, third, and fourth degree; however, they are now classified as superficial, superficial partial thickness, deep partial thickness, full thickness, and subdermal. The depth of the injury is established by clinical determination of which anatomic layers of the skin are involved.
A superficial burn, sometimes referred to as a first degree burn, involves only the upper layers of the epidermis. Damage through the epidermis and upper third of the dermis is referred to as a superficial partial-thickness burn. The term deep partial-thickness burn describes an injury that extends down through the entire dermis. A subdermal burn involves the fatty layer, fascia, muscle, tendon, bone, or other subdermal tissues (those seen in electrical