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Why are electrical burns so dangerous?
Most of the destruction is internal because the route of least electrical resistance follows nerves, blood vessels, and fascia.
- Common sequella:
- cardiac dysthymias, myoglobinuria, acidosis, renal failure
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Acid or alkali burns worse?
- Alkali
- The body cannot buffer the alkali thus allowing them to burn for much longer
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First degree burn
- Epidermis
- Painful, dry, red areas that do not form blisters
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Second degree burn
- Epidermis and varying layers of dermis
- Painful, hypersensitive, swollen, mottled areas with blisters and open weeping surfaces
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Third degree burns
- All layers including entire dermis (full thickness burn)
- Painless, insensate, swollen, dry, mottled, white and charred areas; often described as dried leather
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Fourth degree burn
Involves bone or muscle
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Types of burn dressings:
- Compresses
- Fine mesh gauze
- Hydrocolloid dressings
- Silver containing
- Biosynthetics
- Biobrane
- Biobrane-like
- Polyhexanide containing bio-cellulose
- Biologics
- Allogenic skin grafts
- Human amnion
- Skin xenografts
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