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Adult burn management

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Handbook of Burns

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Abstract

The management of the adult burn is a complex and multi- faceted endeavour. The burn injury and wound cause both local and systemic effects mediated by the host responses of inflammation, regeneration, and repair. Initial physiological derangement can give rise to shifts in fluids, electrolytes and proteins within body compartments necessitating formal fluid resuscitation in large burns. Following on from this initial physiological derangement subsequent metabolic, hematological, immunological and endocrine disturbances can occur making the care of these patients a difficult and challenging task. The sequelae and in general the severity of the injury is dependant on the aetiology, the size of the burn and the anatomical depth of tissue destruction. Management of the burn wound is key to attenuation of systemic sequelae and the aim of care is to achieve early durable and sound healing. This must be achieved whilst managing the multi system nature of the illness [1].

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. St Andrews Centre for Plastic Surgery and Burns, Chelmsford, Essex, CM1 7ET, UK

    Peter Dziewulski FFICM FRCS FRCS(Plast)

  2. Chelsea and Westminster Hospital Burns Service, London, UK

    Jorge-Leon Villapalos

  3. Val D’Hebron Hospital, Barcelona, Spain

    Joan Pere Barret

Authors
  1. Peter Dziewulski FFICM FRCS FRCS(Plast)
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  2. Jorge-Leon Villapalos
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  3. Joan Pere Barret
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Peter Dziewulski FFICM FRCS FRCS(Plast) .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Department of Surgery, Division of Plastic Surgery, University of Toronto, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Marc G. Jeschke M.D., Ph.D.

  2. Plastische, Aesthetische und Rekonstruktive Chirurgie, Landesklinikum Wiener Neustadt, Wiener Neustadt, Austria

    Lars-Peter Kamolz M.D., M.Sc.

  3. Department of Hand and Plastic Surgery and Intensive Care, Linköping University Hospital, Linköping, Sweden

    Folke Sjöberg M.D., Ph.D.

  4. Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden

    Folke Sjöberg M.D., Ph.D.

  5. Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, TX, USA

    Steven E. Wolf M.D.

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© 2012 Springer-Verlag/Wien

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Dziewulski, P., Villapalos, JL., Barret, J.P. (2012). Adult burn management. In: Jeschke, M.G., Kamolz, LP., Sjöberg, F., Wolf, S.E. (eds) Handbook of Burns. Springer, Vienna. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-7091-0348-7_17

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-7091-0348-7_17

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Vienna

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  • Online ISBN: 978-3-7091-0348-7

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