Subject(s)
Culture , Surgery, Plastic , History, 18th Century , History, Ancient , Humans , India , Surgery, Plastic/history , United StatesABSTRACT
Incidence of peripheral nerve injury in extremity trauma is low, with reported rates of 1.5 to 2.8%; however there is significant associated morbidity and outcomes of peripheral nerve repair are poor, especially when delayed. In this article, we provide a brief review of pathophysiology, classification, and surgery of peripheral nerve injuries, with special emphasis on wartime injuries.
Subject(s)
Extremities/injuries , Neurosurgical Procedures/methods , Peripheral Nerve Injuries , Trauma, Nervous System/surgery , Warfare , Humans , Trauma, Nervous System/classification , Trauma, Nervous System/physiopathologyABSTRACT
One of the most complicated issues that surgeons face, in the care of burn patients, is infection. This includes both superficial and systemic infections. Systemic infection is the leading cause of death in this population. This article will look to review the microbiology of burn wound infections with particular emphasis on classification, host response to burn wound infections, antimicrobial agents, and modern treatment practices.
Subject(s)
Bacterial Infections/classification , Burns/complications , Sepsis/prevention & control , Wound Infection/complications , Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use , Burns/microbiology , Burns/therapy , Humans , Sepsis/complications , Sepsis/microbiology , Wound Infection/classification , Wound Infection/microbiology , Wound Infection/therapyABSTRACT
Burns to the pediatric population are a prevalent problem that can have long-term if not fatal consequences. Although burns to the trunk have equally negative cosmetic effects from disfigurement for both boys and girls, burns to the trunk of the developing female, particularly those involving the breast, have an additional psychologic component due to the potential loss of femininity. This article aims to comprehensively review the proper management and treatment options for these patients based on mechanism of burn injury, both from an initial management and a staged reconstruction point of view.
Subject(s)
Breast/injuries , Burns/complications , Cicatrix/complications , Mammaplasty/methods , Adolescent , Adult , Breast/growth & development , Cicatrix/surgery , Female , Humans , Middle Aged , Patient Care Planning , Puberty , Plastic Surgery Procedures/methodsABSTRACT
Electrical burns of the upper extremity, particularly high-voltage injuries, are becoming more prevalent in today's society and are often times devastating to the patients' appearance and functionality. The basic tenants of flame burn reconstruction apply to electrical injuries. Namely, a patient should undergo basic trauma resuscitation, decompression and debridement within a reasonable timeframe, and definitive closure as soon as possible. Reconstruction of the 3 main areas of injury (hand, elbow, and axilla) follows the basic reconstructive ladder from least invasive, that is, local wound revision, to most extensive, that is, free tissue transfers. Whereas the role of the surgeon continues to be the creation of ingenious techniques to deal with complications, the real treatment lies in education and prevention. This article will look to do a comprehensive review of electrical injuries to the upper extremity.
Subject(s)
Arm Injuries/therapy , Burns, Electric/therapy , Contracture/therapy , Hand Injuries/therapy , Adolescent , Arm Injuries/etiology , Arm Injuries/rehabilitation , Axilla/injuries , Burns, Electric/complications , Burns, Electric/rehabilitation , Child , Child, Preschool , Contracture/etiology , Contracture/rehabilitation , Debridement/methods , Hand Injuries/etiology , Hand Injuries/rehabilitation , Humans , Infant , PediatricsABSTRACT
Mortality from burns has significantly declined during the last few decades. The decline in mortality is attributed to number of factors that improved over the years including the surgical technique of tangential excision. Since its introduction, the procedure has been under continuous scrutiny in efforts to determine the efficacy of the procedure. Tangential excision must be performed with careful attention to blood loss, patient body temperature, and viable tissue in order to be successful. The procedure has shown signs of improvement of the more conservative methods of burn treatment. The results, however, have some differing efficacy among the different body areas. It has been indicated that tangential excision provides better cosmetic results in facial burns. For hand burns, however, the results have not been significantly better than the conservative methods of treatment.
