Reducing the effect of a domestic burn
García González R.F., Gago Fornells M., Rodríguez Palma M., Gaztelu Valdés V., García Collantes Mª.A., Rodríguez Bocanegra J.C.

SUMMARY

   Actually, in our environment, domestic burns are one of the more frequent lesions, and we can start a progressive prevention program in a better way on these ones. The more common of them are scalds -due to an accidental contact with hot liquids or gas- and those ones produced because of the direct action of flames. The consequences go from pain, dehydration, physical sequels with psychical repercussions to, sometimes, death. In the presence of a patient with burns is essential and a priority to perform a comprehensive and appropriate first assessment that includes: degree of lesion (depth), extension (percentage of total burned body surface), anatomical area affected and the patient general condition (age, immunological, nutritional, respiratory and circulatory status, etc.), in order to plan the appropriate care. In the present work, we describe the case of a 62-years-old woman who suffered first degree and second degree burns, superficial and deep, in neck, breast and abdomen when she was handling a pressure cooker, with an extension of 6% BBS (Burned Body Surface). Here we expose all the assessment process of the patient and the corresponding care plan, giving details of the different local treatments depending on the evolution of lesions, just as the prevention measures for minimizing the potential psychical and physical complications stemmed from the arising of hypertrophic scars.

KEY WORDS

    Burn, burnt, hypertrophic scar, care plan.

Vol. 19 nº3-2008