Burns and his Treatment

Burns are a specific type of soft tissue injury. We present when the body receives more energy (calorie, chemical or electric) that can absorb without injury.
 
 A severe burn can endanger the lives and requires immediate medical attention. The severity of the burn depends on the temperature of the environment that caused it and duration of exposure. Are primarily skin lesions, but sometimes affects other organs like lungs, heart, kidneys and so on. 
 
 The severity of burns is determined by five factors:
 
 -Depth of the burn: 1st, 2nd and 3rd grade.
 -Extending the burn: Percentage of area of the body affected.
 -Condition of critical regions: Hands, feet, face and genitals.
 -Patient Age: Under 2 years old or very old man.
 -General state of health of the person.
 
 Causes. What it produces and how it is produced?
 
 -Physical agents
 -Solid hot: plates, stoves.
 -Boiling liquid: water, oil, coffee, etc..
 -Cold: Exposure to extremely low ambient temperatures, local ice unprotected intermediate sprays of cold misused.
 -Fire flames Directly or its solid waste.
 -Chemical Agents
 -Gasoline and oil products in general.
 -Acids: chlorohydric, sulfuric and so on.
 -Alkali: Caustic soda, lime or carbide.
 -Agents electric
 -Electric shocks to different voltages: Cables, electrical appliances, plugs unprotected lightning.
 -Radioactive agents: solar rays, X-rays, infrared light, ionizing radiation.
 
 Burns may be first, second or third degree as the layers of skin and depth of the injured tissue.
 
 It is considered a first-degree burn that hurts the most superficial layer of skin. The burn is usually caused by excessive exposure to sunlight. Symptoms include redness of the skin or erythema, dry skin, and intense burning pain, inflammation and hypersensitivity discreetly in the affected area.
 
 The second-degree burns are those in which the superficial and intermediate layers of the skin is injured. The symptom is the appearance of blisters. There is intense pain and swelling of the inflamed area.
 
 In the third degree burns affected all layers of the skin and underlying tissues such as muscles, nerves, tendons and blood vessels can reach the bone. This type of burn is caused by prolonged contact with fire, electricity or caustic elements. The appearance of the skin is affected in these cases, completely dry and there is no pain due to the destruction of the nerve endings. Always requires medical attention early, though the injury is not very extensive.
 
 Apart from this classification are considered serious burns all those who:
 
 -Hinder breathing.
 -Those that are located in the head, neck, hands, feet or genitals.
 -Those that affect children under 2 years old or elderly.
 -All the injuries that include third-degree.
 -Those that affect more than 15% of body surface.
 -Those who are associated with major injuries.
 
 Any serious burns can be fatal, therefore requires medical attention as soon as possible.
 
 Treatment
 
 First we must reassure the victim and his family. Assess the type and severity of burns. We need to cool the burned area for several minutes. It can be done by applying a saline solution or cold water (no ice) on the injury. Do not use ice to cool the burned area, or apply ointments or ointments because they may interfere with the subsequent valuation and medical treatment. Cover the burned area with a dressing or a wet towel in saline solution or cold water and fasten with a clean bandage to prevent contamination of the injury.
 
 If filed in hands or feet put gauze between your fingers before putting the blindfold. If the victim is conscious pain and concerns should be given a painkiller and plenty of fluids (oral serum if possible, to replenish the losses of water and electrolytes). In any case the patient was transferred to a hospital. When the burns are serious, the victim is unconscious, not breathing and had no pulse we must immediately start cardiopulmonary resuscitation and seek urgent medical help.
 
 Already in the medical center will occur in the general treatment with analgesia and sedation if necessary, a way of channeling the contributions required for venous fluids and electrolytes and local treatment of the burn which will consist of washing, shaving areas hair (with hair), dried with towels and sterile surgical resection of necrotic tissue and blisters. Once all this will be decided what kind of cure is a cure exposed or occlusive.
 
 During the first 72 hours is necessary to monitor the vital signs (pulse, blood pressure, temperature, respiratory function), the water balance (earnings Fluid) and do some additional tests such as hematocrit (red blood cells), protein (protein ), Ionograms (ions), chest X-ray and electrocardiogram.
 
 Prognosis and complications
 
 The prognosis of burns depends on the location, the degree of the same, the extension of body surface area affected and the presence or absence of aggravating factors such as age, injuries associated medications as diabetes, renal failure, AIDS or other immunosuppressive diseases (which reduces the defenses). The most frequent complications of the burns are localized infections or widespread.