The Emergency Management and Treatment of Severe Burns

Burn injuries continue to cause morbidity and mortality internationally. Despite international collaborations and preventative measures, there are still many cases reported in high- and low-income countries. The treatment of these patients is often protracted and requires extensive resources. The adequate resuscitation of these patients coupled with meticulous wound care can have a huge impact on their outcome. The authors present a simple guideline for the initial management of severe burns which is utilised by the South African Burn Society and is based on the guidelines of the American Burn Association and the Australian and New Zealand Burn Association. 1. Introduction Burn wounds and injuries are often devastating. They can have severe long-term consequences for the victims and they continue to be a major problem affecting communities worldwide [1]. The treatment of these patients is often protracted, and large amounts of resources are often needed to achieve the medical and psychological healing that needs to occur. Prevention is the vital factor that will have an impact on decreasing the morbidity and mortality associated with burns [2–4]. Education and training are vital steps to empower communities to help them protect themselves, and also the most vulnerable of burn victims are children. There have been studies into the different epidemiological factors related to burn injuries [5–11] with the subsequent introduction of training programmes, community outreach and social development, and the development of safe and effective household practices. These include initiatives like the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves [12]. International organisations like the World Health Organisation’s Department of Violence and Injury Prevention and Disability (VIP) and the International Society for Burns Injuries (ISBI) strive to ultimately decrease this significant scourge by improving data collection, research collaborations, and preventative strategy development [13]. Statistics from the WHO demonstrate that there are over 300,000 deaths per year from fires alone with many more from scalds, electrical burns, and other sources but there is still no accurate global data to confirm these numbers [13]. Over 95% of fatal fire-related burns occur in low- and middle-income countries [13]. Multitudes more patients have survived their injuries but are often left disfigured and destitute. Children and the elderly remain the most vulnerable groups with the highest mortality [13]. Intensive and specialised burn centres are in existence all over the world but are very