S5 Ep107: Burning Up! Caring for Pediatric Burn Patients
Apr 10, 2024
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Dr. Tam Pham, a board-certified surgeon, shares insights on burn classification, triage, and pediatric burn care. Topics include first aid for burns, care in different settings, and collaboration between firefighters and healthcare providers. The episode also covers burn severity, wound care, pain management, and long-term care for pediatric burn patients.
Proper assessment and classification of burns are essential for triage and initial treatment planning.
Collaboration among interdisciplinary medical providers ensures comprehensive care for pediatric burn patients.
Effective pain management protocols are crucial for optimizing treatment outcomes and reducing psychological distress in pediatric burn patients.
Deep dives
Establishing the Pediatric Burn Unit Team
In a pediatric burn unit, a team of interdisciplinary medical providers collaborate to address burn injuries. This team includes pediatricians, general and plastic surgeons, nurses, therapists, psychologists, dietitians, and pharmacists. The collaboration ensures comprehensive care for pediatric burn patients, focusing on physical and psychological recovery.
Management of Pediatric Burns in ICU Setting
For pediatric burn patients with extensive burns ranging from 15 to 20% of total body surface area, immediate referral to the ICU is essential. Dehydration, infection risk, and scarring are primary concerns. Assessing hydration status, implementing necessary resuscitation measures, and maintaining wound care to mitigate infection risks are key priorities.
Procedural Pain Management in Burn Care
In managing burn injuries, addressing procedural pain and sedation during wound care procedures is crucial. Collaborating with pediatricians and disease specialists ensures effective pain management strategies and accurate assessment of burn injuries. Pain management and sedation protocols play a significant role in optimizing treatment outcomes for pediatric burn patients.
Wound Assessment and Care Guidelines
Proper wound assessment is crucial, especially in patients with varying skin tones where under-triaging can occur. Ensuring thorough evaluation is highlighted, emphasizing the significance of not underestimating the extent of burns. Sedation methods, like ketamine and opioids for pain management, are discussed, tailored according to the patient's age and distress level. Prompt wound care is emphasized, even addressing concerns regarding overkill approaches, balancing immediate treatment with scheduled follow-ups.
Skin Replacement Strategies and Future Technological Advancements
The discussion delves into the challenges of current skin replacement strategies which often lead to noticeable scarring post-burn. Exciting advancements in dermal templates and spray skin technology are cited as promising solutions to improve skin graft outcomes. The guest envisions a future where skin replacements seamlessly blend with natural skin, reducing scarring and enhancing functionality. A call for better societal understanding and media portrayal of burns and recovery underscores the broader impact of burn injuries beyond physical healing.
Extinguish any fears you have about pediatric burns with our great guest, Dr. Tam Pham. Dr. Pham is a board-certified surgeon and Director of the University of Washington Medicine Regional Burn Center and a Professor of surgery at UW. In our episode we cover: burn classification and triage, first aid of burns, and care for burns in different clinical settings.
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