Pictures Do Influence the Decision to Transfer: Outcomes of a Telemedicine Program Serving an Eight-State Rural Population.

Triaging burn patients is a daunting task because burn injuries are rare; this inexperience leads to uncertainty in treatment and referral algorithms. Our regional burn center's catchment area includes eight states. Outlying facilities consult via telephone through the medical center's transfer center. Referring provider assessments of depth or size of injury infrequently correlates with burn provider's assessments. This causes over- and under-triage of patients managed outside of burn centers. A quality improvement telemedicine project was developed to allow burn providers to review photos with referring providers to determine best management, provide pertinent education, and initiate appropriate and timely resuscitation. Details tracked include date of service, consulting provider, follow-up education offered, and whether the image reviewed changed or confirmed the requested plan of care. Of the 155 cases between January 2017 and August 2018, 24.5% of patient images changed the initial transfer decision, and 75.5% confirmed the initial plan of care. Of the cases requiring change of plan, 60.5% were down-triaged to outpatient care and 39.5% were up-triaged to transfer. Implementation of this telemedicine program has increased efficiency of resource utilization, timely resuscitation, appropriate transfer of patients requiring admission, and real-time education. Findings suggest advanced practice providers' assessments are similar to those of referring physicians. These observations may have significant implications on Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) guidelines defining physician to physician consultation and support efficient use of available resources. Telemedicine facilitates access to specialized care and improves fiscal responsibility.

American Burn Association consensus conference to define sepsis and infection in burns.

Because of their extensive wounds, burn patients are chronically exposed to inflammatory mediators. Thus, burn patients, by definition, already have "systemic inflammatory response syndrome." Current definitions for sepsis and infection have many criteria (fever, tachycardia, tachypnea, leukocytosis) that are routinely found in patients with extensive burns, making these current definitions less applicable to the burn population. Experts in burn care and research, all members of the American Burn Association, were asked to review the literature and prepare a potential definition on one topic related to sepsis or infection in burn patients. On January 20, 2007, the participants met in Tucson, Arizona to develop consensus for these definitions. After review of the definitions, a summary of the proceedings was prepared. The goal of the consensus conference was to develop and publish standardized definitions for sepsis and infection-related diagnoses in the burn population. Standardized definitions will improve the capability of performing more meaningful multicenter trials among burn centers.

Standard variables fail to identify patients who will not respond to fluid resuscitation following thermal injury: brief report.

UNLABELLED: Approximately 13% of thermally injured patients fail resuscitation, in that they die during the first 48 h postburn despite full resuscitative efforts. The purpose of this study was to characterize these patients, and to develop a predictor of resuscitation failure. METHODS: Records of 3807 thermally injured patients admitted to this burn centre during 1980-1997 were reviewed. Patients were classified as surviving to hospital discharge ("NONFAIL/LIVE"), as surviving resuscitation but dying later ("NONFAIL/DIE"), or as failing resuscitation ("FAIL"). Ordinal logistic regression was used to develop a predictor of membership in each of these three groups. RESULTS: With respect to total burn size, full-thickness burn size, and inhalation injury, the three groups represented a gradation in injury severity from least severe (NONFAIL/LIVE) to most severe (FAIL). The predictive model had an overall accuracy of 91.6%; however, it correctly classified NONFAIL/LIVE patients more often (97.7% accuracy) than it did NONFAIL/DIE patients (57.5%) or FAIL patients (16.1%). CONCLUSION: Patients who failed resuscitation were more severely injured than those who survived resuscitation, but was not possible accurately to predict who will fail resuscitation using data available on admission.

Burden of burn: a norm-based inquiry into the influence of burn size and distress on recovery of physical and psychosocial function.

This prospective, longitudinal study examined the influence of baseline physical and psychological burden on serial assessments of health-related quality of life among adults with major burns from three regional burn centers (n = 162). Physical burden groups were defined by % TBSA burned: <10%, 10% to 30%, or >30%. Psychological burden groups were defined by in-hospital distress using the Brief Symptom Inventory Global Severity Index T-score with scores of < 63 or > or = 63. Analyses compared groups across level of burden and with published normative data. Assessments reflected health and function (Short Form 36) during the month before burn, at discharge, and at 6 and 12 months after burn. Physical functioning was significantly more impaired and the rate of physical recovery slower among those with either large physical burden or large psychological burden. Notably, psychosocial functioning also was more impaired and the rate of psychosocial recovery slower among those with greater psychological burden. These results suggest that, in addition to aggressive wound closure, interventions that reduce in-hospital distress may accelerate both physical and psychosocial recovery.

Treatment of white phosphorus and other chemical burn injuries at one burn center over a 51-year period.

UNLABELLED: Chemical burn injury meets the criteria of the American Burn Association for treatment at a specialized burn facility. Over a 51-year period, we have treated 276 patients with chemical burn injury including 146 white phosphorus injuries. In this study, we compare incidence, cause and outcome of chemical burn injury over time and review the management of white phosphorus injuries. METHODS: Data for the period 1986-2000 was obtained by retrospective chart review. Data for the period 1950-1985 was obtained from previous studies and from retrospective chart review. RESULTS: Chemical burn injury comprised 2.1% of all admissions between 1969 and 1985, and 2.07% between 1986 and 2000. The mean body surface area involved was 19.5% in the first 19 years of the study compared with 8.6% over the last 15 years. Mortality increased from 5.4% between 1950 and 1968 to 13.8% between 1969 and 1985. Mortality from 1986 to 2000 was 0%. Hospital length of stay decreased from a mean of 90 days in the first 19 years of the study to a mean of 15 days in the most recent 15-year period. The chemical responsible for injury was white phosphorus in 146 cases. CONCLUSIONS: Over time, the proportion of burn center admissions caused by chemical injury is constant, while the average total burn size, full thickness burn size, length of stay and mortality have decreased. During peacetime, the chemicals responsible are similar to those seen in civilian burn centers. The experience of this center with burns caused by white phosphorus is unique and needs to be maintained for future conflicts.

Evaluation of renal cortical perfusion by noninvasive power Doppler ultrasound during vascular occlusion and reperfusion.

BACKGROUND: Urine output, a frequently used resuscitation end point, is presumed to represent renal cortical perfusion. However, no noninvasive method for direct measurement of renal perfusion exists. Power Doppler ultrasound (PDUS) is a method that reportedly is sensitive to low-velocity and microvascular blood flow and can depict it. This study aimed to develop a quantitative technique for PDUS image analysis, and to evaluate the ability of PDUS to quantify cortical perfusion during renal ischemia induced by vascular occlusion. METHODS: A method was developed to determine the mean gray-scale intensity of PDUS images from within the renal cortex (PDUS image intensity). This index was hypothesized to represent renal cortical microvascular blood flow. Renal cortical blood flow was determined using fluorescent microspheres in five swine. Renal artery flow was measured with an ultrasonic flow probe. Power Doppler ultrasound was performed at baseline; at 75%, 50%, and 25% of baseline renal artery flow; and during reperfusion. RESULTS: Subjectively, PDUS images showed decreases in image intensity corresponding to renal artery occlusion and increases after reperfusion. Cortical blood flow correlated well with renal artery flow (n = 25; r2 = 0.868) and with PDUS image intensity (n = 25; r2 = 0.844). CONCLUSION: Noninvasive power Doppler ultrasound image intensity correlated well with invasively measured renal cortical blood flow, and may be useful during resuscitation of injured and critically ill patients.

Predicting increased fluid requirements during the resuscitation of thermally injured patients.

BACKGROUND: We determined whether factors present soon after burn predict which patients will receive more than 4 mL/kg/% burn during the first 24 hours, and whether total fluid intake during the first 24 hours (VOL) contributes to in-hospital mortality (MORT). METHODS: We reviewed the records of patients admitted during 1987-97. The modified Brooke resuscitation formula was used. One hundred four patients met inclusion criteria: total body surface area burned (TBSA) > or = 20%; admission directly from the field; weight > 30 kg; no electric injury, mechanical trauma, or blood transfusions; and survival > or = 24 hours postburn. Eighty-nine records were complete. RESULTS: Mean TBSA was 43%, mean full-thickness burn size was 21%, mean age was 41 years, mean VOL was 4.9 mL/kg/% burn, and mean lactated Ringer's volume was 4.4 mL/kg/% burn; 53% had inhalation injury. MORT was 25.8%. Mean urine output was 0.77 mL/kg/h. By linear regression, VOL was associated with weight (negatively) and full-thickness burn size (r2 = 0.151). By logistic regression, receipt of over 4 mL/kg/% burn was predicted at admission by weight (negatively) and TBSA; by 24 hours postburn, mechanical ventilation replaced TBSA. With respect to MORT, logistic regression of admission factors yielded a model incorporating TBSA and an age function; by 24 hours postburn, the worst base deficit was added. CONCLUSION: Burn size and weight (negatively) were associated with greater VOL. However, a close linear relationship between burn size and VOL was not observed. Mechanical ventilation supplanted TBSA by 24 hours as a predictor of high VOL. Worst base deficit, TBSA, and an age function, but not VOL, were predictors of MORT.

Assessment of severity of ovine smoke inhalation injury by analysis of computed tomographic scans.

BACKGROUND: Our goal was to evaluate computed tomographic (CT) scans of the chest as a means of stratifying smoke inhalation injury (SII) severity. METHODS: Twenty anesthetized sheep underwent graded SII: group I, no smoke; group II, 5 smoke units; group III, 10 units; and group IV, 16 units. CT scans were obtained at 6, 12, and 24 hours after injury. Each quadrant of each slice was scored subjectively: 0 = normal, 1 = interstitial markings, 2 = ground-glass appearance, and 3 = consolidation. The sum of all scores was the radiologist's score (RADS) for that scan. Computerized analysis of three-dimensional reconstructed scans was also performed, based on Hounsfield unit ranges: hyperinflated, -1,000 to -900; normal, -899 to -500; poorly aerated, -499 to -100; and nonaerated, -99 to +100. The fraction of abnormal lung tissue (FALT) was computed from poorly aerated, nonaerated, and total volumes. Mean gray-scale density (DENS) was also computed. RESULTS: SII resulted in severity- and time-related changes in oxygenation (alveolar-arterial gradient), ventilation (respiratory rate-pressure product), DENS, FALT, and RADS. Ordinal logistic regression generated a predictive model for severity of injury (r2 = 0.623, p = 0.001), retaining RADS at 24 hours and rejecting the other variables. CONCLUSION: At 24 hours, CT scanning enabled SII severity stratification; qualitative evaluation (RADS) outperformed current semiautomated methods (DENS, FALT).

Advanced hemostatic dressing development program: animal model selection criteria and results of a study of nine hemostatic dressings in a model of severe large venous hemorrhage and hepatic injury in Swine.

BACKGROUND: An advanced hemostatic dressing is needed to augment current methods for the control of life-threatening hemorrhage. A systematic approach to the study of dressings is described. We studied the effects of nine hemostatic dressings on blood loss using a model of severe venous hemorrhage and hepatic injury in swine. METHODS: Swine were treated using one of nine hemostatic dressings. Dressings used the following primary active ingredients: microfibrillar collagen, oxidized cellulose, thrombin, fibrinogen, propyl gallate, aluminum sulfate, and fully acetylated poly-N-acetyl glucosamine. Standardized liver injuries were induced, dressings were applied, and resuscitation was initiated. Blood loss, hemostasis, and 60-minute survival were quantified. RESULTS: The American Red Cross hemostatic dressing (fibrinogen and thrombin) reduced (p < 0.01) posttreatment blood loss (366 mL; 95% confidence interval, 175-762 mL) and increased (p < 0.05) the percentage of animals in which hemostasis was attained (73%), compared with gauze controls (2,973 mL; 95% confidence interval, 1,414-6,102 mL and 0%, respectively). No other dressing was effective. The number of vessels lacerated was positively related to pretreatment blood loss and negatively related to hemostasis. CONCLUSION: The hemorrhage model allowed differentiation among topical hemostatic agents for severe hemorrhage. The American Red Cross hemostatic dressing was effective and warrants further development.

Clinical effects of inhibiting leukocyte adhesion with monoclonal antibody to intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (enlimomab) in the treatment of partial-thickness burn injury.

BACKGROUND: A randomized, prospective, multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase II clinical trial was performed to determine whether inhibition of leukocyte adherence by administration of monoclonal antibody directed against intercellular adhesion molecule-1 would improve burn wound healing. METHODS: One hundred ten patients with burn injury ranging from 10% to 30% total body surface area were enrolled. Fifty-six patients received placebo (saline) and 54 patients received murine monoclonal antibody to the human intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (enlimomab). Treatment was initiated within 6 hours of injury. Patients had three distinct partial-thickness wound sites assessed. Laser Doppler flowmetry was used to stratify wounds on the day of injury. Wounds were assessed for healing status on day 21 postburn and categorized as healed, nonhealed, or grafted. RESULTS: Patients treated with enlimomab had a significantly increased percentage of wounds that healed spontaneously in less than 21 days overall and when stratified by burn wound laser Doppler blood flow readings for those wounds at greatest risk for nonhealing. CONCLUSION: These results support the concept that leukocyte adherence is involved in the pathogenesis of burn wound necrosis and suggest a therapeutic mechanism for modulating the inflammatory response after the burn injury that may improve wound healing.

Burn center management of necrotizing fasciitis.

Necrotizing fasciitis is a rapidly progressive soft-tissue infection associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Necrotizing fasciitis is similar to invasive burn wound infection in that diagnosis requires histologic examination of affected tissue and treatment requires aggressive surgical debridement followed by skin autograft. Transfer to a burn center facilitates the management of necrotizing fasciitis, where requisite surgical and nursing expertise is available. We reviewed the experience of one burn center in the management of necrotizing fasciitis over a 5-year period. Ten patients were transferred to the burn center from other medical facilities for care, arriving a mean of 8.9 days after initial hospital admission. The diagnosis was made by a surgical service or consultation before transfer in all cases; initial admission to a medical rather than a surgical service delayed surgery in five cases. All patients had surgical debridement before transfer but required a mean of 5.1 additional operations at the burn center. Although the mean extent of involvement was 14.8% body surface area, the mean length of burn center stay was 34.9 days. Complications were frequent, including pulmonary failure requiring mechanical ventilation (n = 6), renal insufficiency or failure (n = 5), hypotension requiring pressers (n = 4), deep venous thrombosis (n = 3), and pulmonary emboli (n = 1). Overall mortality was 2 of 10 patients (20%). Both fatalities were associated with delay in initial surgical procedure and in transfer to the burn center. The similarity of necrotizing fasciitis and invasive burn wound infection makes the burn center the ideal setting for the treatment of this disease. We advocate the addition of necrotizing fasciitis to the list of conditions currently recognized by the American Burn Association as appropriate for burn center transfer and care.

Effect of a chitosan-based hemostatic dressing on blood loss and survival in a model of severe venous hemorrhage and hepatic injury in swine.

BACKGROUND: Hemorrhage is a leading cause of death from trauma. An advanced hemostatic dressing could augment available hemostatic methods. We studied the effects of a new chitosan dressing on blood loss, survival, and fluid use after severe hepatic injury in swine. METHODS: Swine received chitosan dressings or gauze sponges. Standardized, severe liver injuries were induced. After 30 seconds, dressings were applied and resuscitation initiated. Blood loss, hemostasis, resuscitation volume, and 60-minute survival were quantified. RESULTS: Posttreatment blood loss was reduced ( p< 0.01) in the chitosan group (264 mL; 95% confidence interval [CI], 82-852 mL) compared with the gauze group (2,879 mL; 95% CI, 788-10,513 mL). Fluid use was reduced ( p= 0.03) in the chitosan group (1,793 mL; 95% CI, 749-4,291) compared with the gauze group (6,614 mL; 95% CI, 2,519-17,363 mL). Survival was seven of eight and two of even in the chitosan and gauze groups ( p= 0.04), respectively. Hemostasis was improved in the chitosan group ( p= 0.03). CONCLUSION: A chitosan dressing reduced hemorrhage and improved survival after severe liver injury in swine. Further studies are warranted.

The development, validation, and testing of a health outcomes burn questionnaire for infants and children 5 years of age and younger: American Burn Association/Shriners Hospitals for Children.

The 12-member American Burn Association/Shriners Hospitals for Children Outcomes Task Force was charged with developing a health outcomes questionnaire for use in children 5 years of age and younger that was clinically based and valid. A 55-item form was tested using a cross-sectional design on the basis of a range of 184 infants and children between 0 and 5 years of age at 8 burn centers, nationally. A total of 131 subjects completed a follow-up health outcomes questionnaire 6 months after the baseline assessment. A comparison group of 285 normal nonburn children was also obtained. Internal consistency reliability of the scales ranged from 0.74 to 0.94. Tests of clinical validity were significant in the hypothesized direction for the majority of scales for length of hospital stay, duration since the burn, percent of body surface area burned, overall clinician assessment of severity of burn injury, and number of comorbidities. The criterion validity of the instrument was supported using the Child Developmental Inventories for Burn Children in early childhood and preschool stages of development comparing normal vs abnormal children. The instrument was sensitive to changes over time following a clinical course observed by physicians in practice. The Health Outcomes Burn Questionnaire for Infants and Children 5 years of age and younger is a clinically based reliable and valid assessment tool that is sensitive to change over time for assessing burn outcomes in this age group.

Effects of heparin and lisofylline on pulmonary function after smoke inhalation injury in an ovine model.

OBJECTIVE: This study evaluates the effects of heparin alone and in combination with lisofylline, 1-(5-R-hydroxyhexyl)3,7-dimethylxanthine, on severe smoke injury. DESIGN: Prospective animal study with concurrent controls. SETTING: An animal laboratory. SUBJECTS: Eighteen 1-yr-old female sheep, weighing 24-32 kg. INTERVENTIONS: After smoke exposure and tracheostomy, animals were divided into three groups. Group S (n = 6) received nebulized saline through an endotracheal tube every 4 hrs for 48 hrs. Group H (n = 6) received 10,000 units of nebulized heparin every 4 hrs. Group LH (n = 6) was treated with nebulized heparin and intravenous infusion of lisofylline (10 mg x kg(-1) x hr(-1)) for 48 hrs after a bolus injection (20 mg/kg). Animals initially breathed room air spontaneously. If PaO2 was <50 torr and PaCO2 >60 torr, animals were mechanically ventilated. Sheep were killed 48 hrs postinjury. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Blood gases were measured serially. At 48 hrs, ventilation perfusion distribution mismatching was analyzed by using the multiple inert gas elimination technique. Lung malondialdehyde was determined. The postinjury increase in alveolar-arterial oxygen tension gradient (LH, 36.7 +/- 3.5 vs. S, 89.0 +/- 24.6 torr at 48 hrs) was significantly attenuated in those animals receiving LH. The percentage of pulmonary shunt, Qs/Qt (LH, 20.8 +/- 4.9 vs. S, 36.6 +/- 4.6%), and the percentage of animals that required ventilation (LH, 0 vs. S, 67%) were significantly reduced in LH. Multiple inert gas elimination technique study showed that the true shunt fraction was decreased in LH. Lung malondialdehyde was significantly less in LH (LH, 0.33 +/- 0.06 vs. S, 0.56 +/- 0.09 nmol/mg protein). There was no significant difference in any of these variables between H and S. CONCLUSION: Treatment with heparin alone did not attenuate pulmonary dysfunction after severe smoke injury. Combined treatment with nebulized heparin and systemic lisofylline had beneficial effects on pulmonary function in association with a decrease in blood flow to poorly ventilated areas and less lipid peroxidation.

Effects of burns on inhalation injury in sheep: a 5-day study.

BACKGROUND: We have previously reported that infliction of thermal injury immediately after smoke exposure did not accentuate pulmonary dysfunction during the subsequent 48 h. The purpose of this study was to determine whether thermal injury would aggravate pulmonary dysfunction during a longer postinjury period of 5 days. METHODS: Six sheep (G1) received 12 units of smoke inhalation injury (SII) alone; seven sheep (G2) received a 40% full-thickness scald burn immediately after SII. All sheep were resuscitated with lactated Ringer's solution for the first 48 h. After 48 h, animals were fed food and water ad libitum. Cardiopulmonary variables and blood gases were measured serially. At the end of the 5-day experimental period, VA/Q distribution was analyzed using the multiple inert gas elimination technique (MIGET). Lung wet to dry (W/D) weight ratios and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations were determined. RESULTS: Cardiac index in G2 significantly increased and remained higher compared with G1. There was no difference in A-aDO(2) between the two groups. There was also no difference between the two groups by MIGET study, or in terms of lung MDA and W/D weight ratios. None of the animals manifested symptoms of infection. CONCLUSION: Despite the difference in the hemodynamic changes induced by the addition of a 40% burn to smoke inhalation injury, pulmonary dysfunction was not accentuated during the 5-day study period in the absence of infection.

Integra as a dermal replacement in a meshed composite skin graft in a rat model: a one-step operative procedure.

BACKGROUND: Current use of Integra, the collagen-based dermal analogue, requires a two-step grafting procedure to achieve wound closure with an "ultrathin" autograft. METHODS: A one-step operative procedure of meshed composite skin graft (MCSG) using Integra as a dermal template for a meshed split thickness autograft was developed in rats. The silicon layer of Integra was removed, the resulting dermal analogue was meshed (1:1.5), expanded, and placed on excised full thickness wound and covered with a meshed (1:1.5 or 1:6) split thickness autograft. Grafted wounds were dressed with BioBrane, Vaseline gauze, silver-impregnated nylon, or silver-nylon and direct current (SNDC). At scheduled intervals up to 3 months postgrafting, wounds were examined for epithelialization, collagen deposition and fibrosis, hair growth, and contraction. The results of wound closure and healing following the one-step procedure were compared with the outcome of the two-step grafting procedure where application of meshed Integra (step one) was followed in 14 days by removal of the silicon layer and application of the meshed autograft (step two). RESULTS: The one-step procedure applied to meshed autograft/Integra (1:1.5/1:1.5) composite graft accelerated wound closure by 6-19 days when compared with the two-step procedure. At 3 months postgrafting, the contraction of the healed wound dressed with SNDC, BioBrane, or Vaseline gauze was reduced by 13-16% following the one-step procedure compared with the two-step procedure (p < 0.05). The one-step procedure allowed the expansion of the autograft layer to 1:6 while achieving wound healing results similar to grafting with 1:1.5 meshed autograft layer using the two-step grafting procedure. CONCLUSION: Single-step application of meshed, thin, split thickness autograft over meshed Integra-derived dermal substitute allows more rapid wound closure with less contraction and more efficient use of graft donor skin than can be obtained with the commonly used two-step grafting procedure.