12-Month generic health status and psychological distress outcomes following an Australian natural disaster experience: 2009 Black Saturday Wildfires

Objective

To describe the generic health status, health-related quality of life and psychological distress over a 12-month period of burns patients affected by the 2009 Black Saturday Wildfires.

Design setting and participants

Cohort study with retrospective assessment of pre-injury status and prospective assessment of physical and psychosocial functioning in the Black Saturday Wildfires burns patients across time. Generic health status and burn specific quality of life using the 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) and Burn Specific Health Scale (BSHS) were collected at three, six and twelve months post-burn injury. In addition, similar time points were used to measure level of psychological distress and the presence of pain using the Kessler-10 questionnaire (K-10) and the McGill Pain Questionnaire.

Results

At 12 months post-injury, patients reported a mean 16.4 (standard error, SE: 3.2) reduction in physical health and a 5.3 (SE 2.5) reduction in mental health scores of the SF-36 as compared to their pre-injury scores, with significant decreases observed in the “bodily pain”, “physical functioning”, “role physical” and “vitality” subscales. High levels of psychological distress and persistent pain were experienced, with no significant changes during the study period to the overall burns specific quality of life.

Conclusions

Even 12 months post-burn injury, patients affected by the 2009 Victorian Wildfires still experienced a significant reduction in generic health, increased psychological distress and persistent pain. The need for early and ongoing identification of physical and psychosocial impairments during hospital admission and upon discharge could be helpful to establish systematic interdisciplinary goals for long-term rehabilitation after severe burn injury.     

The role of preliminary hospitals in the management of a mass burn casualty disaster

Purpose

The Formosa Fun Coast explosion is an internationally-known event that occurred in Taiwan on June 27th, 2015. The blast involved 495 casualties in total, with 253 patients receiving 2nd degree or deeper burns on greater than 40% of the total body surface area (TBSA). Questions were raised regarding whether these victims were sent to the appropriate hospitals or not. Therefore, we analyzed the effect of the initial admission destination in this study.

Minor burn management: an Australian regional perspective

Minor burns are commonly treated in hospital emergency departments. This study aimed to identify the nursing management of minor burns in hospitals in the Queensland region of Australia. A total of 200 questionnaires were distributed to hospitals with emergency departments in this region. The semi-structured questionnaire enquired about the respondents' initial and ongoing management of minor burns. Fifty completed questionnaires were returned, a response rate of 25%. Most respondents (80%) were registered nurses and the rest enrolled nurses. The respondents' practice was compared with that recommended in the literature. Their practice reflected the variations found in the literature, suggesting that some may not be as effective or efficient as others. The authors conclude that further research is required on the efficacy of products used in minor burn management.     

Reservoir of disaster relief nurse practitioners: its application to management of mass casualty

目的 构建灾难救援护理人力资源库并应用于批量伤员的救护,以提高批量伤员救治成功率.方法 构建灾难救援护理人力资源库,通过自愿报名、科室推荐、护理部筛选的方式选拔护理人员,并进行灾害救护技能培训,将灾难救援护理人力资源库人员分组及明确各自的职责,遇灾难事件及批量伤员时由护理部根据任务需要统一调配,参与救援护理.结果 灾难救援护理人力资源库成立后,批量伤员从来院到接受治疗、特殊检查、转手术室的时间显著缩短,病死率显著下降;灾难救援护理人力资源库建立后医生对护理工作满意率显著提高(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).结论 构建灾难护理人力资源库,能够提高批量伤员的救治成功率,提高医生对护理工作的满意度.     

灾难救援护理人力资源库的构建及在批量伤员救护中的应用

目的构建灾难救援护理人力资源库并应用于批量伤员的救护,以提高批量伤员救治成功率。方法构建灾难救援护理人力资源库,通过自愿报名、科室推荐、护理部筛选的方式选拔护理人员,并进行灾害救护技能培训,将灾难救援护理人力资源库人员分组及明确各自的职责,遇灾难事件及批量伤员时由护理部根据任务需要统一调配,参与救援护理。结果灾难救援护理人力资源库成立后,批量伤员从来院到接受治疗、特殊检查、转手术室的时间显著缩短,病死率显著下降;灾难救援护理人力资源库建立后医生对护理工作满意率显著提高(P<0.05,P<0.01)。结论构建灾难护理人力资源库,能够提高批量伤员的救治成功率,提高医生对护理工作的满意度。     

Incidence of vomiting in burns and implications for mass burn casualty management

When faced with large numbers of burn patients and limited resources such as in war or disaster, oral fluids may be used as an alternative to intravenous resuscitation. Vomiting during the first 48 h can limit the usefulness of this method; yet its incidence has not been documented. This study aimed to identify those patients at risk of vomiting following burn injury and who therefore might be suitable for oral resuscitation. A retrospective review of case notes from burn patients between 1990 and 2001 was undertaken. Burns requiring intravenous resuscitation (>10% total body surface area (TBSA) in children, >15% TBSA in adults) were included (n=110). Documentation of vomiting during the first 48 h following burn injury to an extent that prevented commencement of feeding was regarded as significant. Patients that vomited were significantly older (28.3 years compared with 18.5 years, P=0.03), and had sustained significantly larger burns (29.8% compared with 22.9%, P=0.047). Administration of opiates and anti-emetics was similar in both groups and not significant. Although the number of patients in this study excludes a logistic regression analysis, it would seem reasonable to attempt oral resuscitation in patients under 25 years of age and with burns up to 25% TBSA given limited resources.     

Mass casualty incidents with multiple burn victims: Rationale for a Swiss burn plan

Introduction

Mass casualty incidents involving victims with severe burns pose difficult and unique problems for both rescue teams and hospitals. This paper presents an analysis of the published reports with the aim of proposing a rational model for burn rescue and hospital referral for Switzerland.

Methods

Literature review including systematic searches of PubMed/Medline, reference textbooks and journals as well as landmark articles.

Results

Since hospitals have limited surge capacities in the event of burn disasters, a special approach to both prehospital and hospital management of these victims is required. Specialized rescue and care can be adequately met and at all levels of needs by deploying mobile burn teams to the scene. These burn teams can bring needed skills and enhance the efficiency of the classical disaster response teams. Burn teams assist with both primary and secondary triage, contribute to initial patient management and offer advice to non-specialized designated hospitals that provide acute care for burn patients with Total Burn Surface Area (TBSA) <20–30%. The main components required for successful deployments of mobile burn teams include socio-economic feasibility, streamlined logistical implementation as well as partnership coordination with other agencies including subsidiary military resources.

Conclusions

Disaster preparedness plans involving burn specialists dispatched from a referral burn center can upgrade and significantly improve prehospital rescue outcome, initial resuscitation care and help prevent an overload to hospital surge capacities in case of multiple burn victims. This is the rationale behind the ongoing development and implementation of the Swiss burn plan.     

Analgesic use in contemporary burn practice: Applications to burn mass casualty incident planning

BackgroundDetermining the amount of analgesics required will help burn centers improve their ability to plan for a burn mass casualty incident (BMCI). We sought to quantify the amount of analgesics needed in an inpatient burn population. We hoped that assessing the analgesic use in daily burn care practice will potentially help estimate opioid needs in a burn mass casualty incident (BMCI).MethodsWe included patients with burns covering equal to or less than 30% total body surface area (TBSA), admitted from spring 2013 to spring 2015. Patient records were reviewed for analgesics and adjuncts, pain scores, age and TBSA. The doses of the different opioids administered were converted into morphine equivalent doses (MED).ResultsWe enrolled 141 acute burn survivors with a mean TBSA of 8.2 ± 0.6%. The lowest daily average MED per person was 24.6 ± 2.0 mg MED, recorded on the day of injury. The daily average MED per person increased until it peaked at 52.5 ± 5.6 mg MED at day 8 post-burn. Then, it declined to 24.6 ± 3.4 mg MED by day 14. Bivariate regression analysis of average MED by TBSA showed a significant positive correlation (p < 0.001). The analysis of average MED by age showed a significant negative correlation (p < 0001).ConclusionOur study quantified opioid requirements in an inpatient burn population and identified TBSA (positively) and age (negatively) as significant predictors.     

Diagnosis and management of sebaceous carcinoma: an Australian experience

Background: Cutaneous sebaceous carcinoma (SC) is a rare malignancy derived from adnexal epithelium of sebaceous glands. Periorbital SC is approximately three times more common than extraorbital SC. To date, there are few data from an Australian source to document the prevalence or clinical outcome of this tumour. Methods: A retrospective review was undertaken of the cases from the Institute of Clinical Pathology and Medical Research using their histopathology database for patients with a diagnosis of SC. Patients were identified over a period of 34 years from 1971–2005 and their management and follow up are reported. Results: There were 25 patients in all. Seventeen were men and eight were women. Of the 25 cases, 12 were extraorbital and 13 were periorbital. Three metastases and one tumour showed extensive local invasion. There were nine cases of incomplete excisions and 13 patients were reoperated on for either incomplete excisions, to obtain a wider margin or for local recurrences. Adjuvant radiotherapy was used on five patients, three of whom had lymph node deposits. Conclusion: Sebaceous carcinoma is a rare tumour. Extraorbital SC is an aggressive and invasive malignancy. Excision margins may need to be wider than previously thought. Exposure to ultraviolet radiation (sunlight) may play a role in the aetiology. Wide excision and selective use of radiotherapy remain the treatment of choice.     

European Burns Association guidelines for the management of burn mass casualty incidents within a European response plan

BackgroundA European response plan to burn mass casualty incidents has been jointly developed by the European Commission and the European Burn Association. Upon request for assistance by an affected country, the plan outlines a mechanism for coordinated international assistance, aiming to alleviate the burden of care in the affected country and to offer adequate specialized care to all patients who can benefit from it. To that aim, Burn Assessment Teams are deployed to assess and triage patients. Their transportation priority recommendations are used to distribute outnumbering burn casualties to foreign burn centers. Following an appropriate medical evacuation, these casualties receive specialized care in those facilities.MethodsThe European Burns Association’s disaster committee developed medical-organizational guidelines to support this European plan. The experts identified fields of interest, defined questions to be addressed, performed relevant literature searches, and added their expertise in burn disaster preparedness and response. Due to the lack of high-level evidence in the available literature, recommendations and specially designed implementation tools were provided from expert opinion. The European Burns Association officially endorsed the draft recommendations in 2019, and the final full text was approved by the EBA executive committee in 2022.RecommendationsThe resulting 46 recommendations address four fields. Field 1 underlines the need for national preparedness plans and the necessary core items within such plans, including coordination and integration with an international response. Field 2 describes Burn Assessment Teams' roles, composition, training requirements, and reporting goals. Field 3 addresses the goals of specialized in-hospital triage, appropriate severity criteria, and their effects on priorities and triage. Finally, field 4 covers medical evacuations, including their timing and organization, the composition of evacuation teams and their assets, preparation, and the principles of en route care.     

Mass chemical burn casualty: emergency management of 118 patients with alkali burn during a Matsa typhoon attack in Shanghai, China in 2005

BACKGROUND: This article reports a chemical burn incident that occurred on August 7th, 2005, when a Matsa typhoon hit Shanghai, China. This is the largest chemical burn incident reported in the literature for 20 years in China, involving 118 alkali burn patients who were rescued by the Burn Department of Shanghai Changhai Hospital independently. METHODS: The scene of the incident was investigated, and the clinical, emergency and hospitalized data of the patients were summarized. RESULTS: The main injurious chemical was a water solution of sodium hydroxide and ammonium chloride. The 118 victims were mostly young men with 5%TBSA deep thickness burn of both lower extremities, including 31 patients who had additional light coughing. Of 58 patients who were finally hospitalized, 42 patients received surgical treatment. Most of these patients recovered within 1 month. There were no deaths. DISCUSSION: Retrospective analysis of the therapeutic data of the incident demonstrates that pre-designed disaster planning for emergency management of mass burn patients, an effective command group, accurate assessment of pathological conditions, and correct allocation of different casualties are key elements in successful management in a mass casualty even involving burn patients. In addition, it is essential for specialized personnel to take part in emergency treatment of chemical burns.     

Mass casualty management during a pandemic surge: The American University of Beirut Medical Center experience

Mass casualty incidents can be devastating events associated with a large number of fatalities, morbidities, and long-lasting sequelae. The negative outcomes can be further amplified if the incident occurred during a pandemic surge, such as what occurred in Beirut, Lebanon with the August 4, 2020 Beirut Port explosion. To decrease the mortality and morbidity and avoid inefficiency, management depends on having an established coordinated multidisciplinary approach from transport and triage to emergency department care and in-hospital management. In this article, the mass casualty management and the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic will be discussed based on the American University of Beirut Medical Center experience.     

Controversies in fluid resuscitation for burn management: literature review and our experience

The purpose of this review is to summarise the commonly used formulae for fluid resuscitation in major burns and to discuss the controversy surrounding the use of protein-based colloids as a component of these types of formulae. Fluid resuscitation in major burns is one of the most critical steps in managing this type of injury. In practice, a wide variety of formulae for fluid resuscitation has been suggested. Some propose only the use of crystalloids, while others combine the colloids together with crystalloids. A review was performed of the literature addressing fluid resuscitation formulae and our experience using our formula is presented. At the authors' burn centre a unique formula is in use, which combines plasma and crystalloids. Our experience using this specific formula extends over a period of 15 years and 356 patients with major burns have been resuscitated using this protocol. At our centre, 27 deaths were recorded, 19 of which had third degree burns of more than 80% total body surface area (TBSA). The protein-based colloids are included in most of the formulae and the beneficial effect is considered to be higher than the potential side effects. We are in favour of administering colloids during the resuscitation period for major burns, starting in the early period after injury.