ABSTRACT
In the current state of the art, viable human allograft is the best skin prosthesis available, but it leaves much to be desired. Characteristics of skin substitutes can be defined and measured, resulting in the rational approach to design and testing of synthetic skin substitutes. Thin silicone polymer and modified plastic membranes, collagen films, and adherent methacrylate polymer applied by a spray technique (Hydron) are the most promising materials at present.
Subject(s)
Artificial Organs/standards , Bandages , Burns/surgery , Prostheses and Implants/standards , Skin Transplantation , Adhesiveness , Animals , Biological Dressings , Child , Collagen , Humans , Membranes, Artificial , Methacrylates , Polymers , Polyvinyl Chloride , Silicones , Swine , Transplantation, Autologous , Transplantation, Heterologous , Transplantation, HomologousABSTRACT
An appreciation of the causes of burn injury is essential in order to direct burn prevention programs. Toward this goal, 1,564 patients treated at the UCI Burn Center were studied. There were 699 patients admitted acutely and 865 outpatients. The most common cause of thermal injury in both adults and children was scalding. In children scald burns accounted for 42% of the total number of children treated. In children under 4 years old scalds caused 75% of all burn injuries, most in the kitchen. Flammable liquids were responsible for the majority of the severe burns in the adult group (19% of acute admissions). Housefires, while accounting for only 5% of the adults treated, were responsible for 44% of the adult deaths. Continued public education in safety practices at home especially in the kitchen and bath, and with automobiles and outdoor stoves and fires is recommended, as well as planned escapes from homes and use of smoke detectors.
Subject(s)
Burns/epidemiology , Adult , Burns/etiology , Burns/mortality , Burns, Chemical/epidemiology , Burns, Electric/epidemiology , Burns, Inhalation/epidemiology , California , Child , Child, Preschool , Humans , InfantABSTRACT
Using the methods and protocol outlined, we have found that hyperbaric oxygen functions as a mild antiseptic agent and provides no advantage in the treatment of full-thickness and partial-thickness burns, alone or in combination with topical treatment with silver sulfadiazine. No effects were observed on metabolic balance in the postburn state determined by percentage of weight change, the time to complete healing in partial-thickness burns or the rate of eschar separation and vascular proliferation in granulation tissue formation in full-thickness burns.
