BACKGROUND The treatment of cutaneous wounds in the clinical setting continues to be a clinical challenge and economic burden, with burn wounds being especially formidable. Direct mechanical injury coupled with the transfer of thermal energy leads to tissue necrosis, pro-inflammatory cytokine release and the eventual expansion of an initial wound. Our current therapeutic armamentarium falls sho...

Our previous study has suggested that downregulated microRNA (miR)-29a in denatured dermis might be involved in burn wound healing. However, the exact role of miR-29a in healing of burn injury still remains unclear. Here, we found that expression of miR-29a was notably upregulated in denatured dermis tissues and skin fibroblast cells after thermal injury, and thereafter gradually downregulated ...

The objective of this study is to propose a numerical model of thermal damage to the skin. This model simulates the propagation of a burn and suggests treatments to prevent it from spreading. In order to achieve this goal, we developed a 3D multi-layer finite element model of the skin coupled with a model presenting hyperthermic damage. The numerical model of the skin takes account of not only ...

The survival rates for burn patients have improved substantially in the past few decades due to advances in modern medical care in specialized burn centers. Burn wound infections are one of the most important and potentially serious complications that occur in the acute period following injury. In addition to the nature and extent of the thermal injury influencing infections, the type and quant...

BACKGROUND In experimental models in vivo, it is difficult to characterize the effect of thermal burns on epidermal keratinocytes. Since the response to thermal injury involves several systemic mechanisms, especially because of the stimulus to coagulation and inflammatory cascades, it becomes hard to evaluate the specific effect of thermal burns on keratinocytes. The aim of this study is to pro...

Thermal injury destroys the physical skin barrier that normally prevents invasion of microorganisms. This and concomitant depression of local and systemic host cellular and humoral immune responses are important factors that contribute to colonization and infection of the burn wound. One of the most common burn wound pathogens is Staphylococcus aureus. Staphylococcus aureus is both a human comm...

Burn injuries have been identified as the primary cause of injury in 5% of U.S. military personnel evacuated from Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. Severe burn-associated pain is typically treated with opioids such as fentanyl, morphine, and methadone. Side effects of opioids include respiratory depression, cardiac depression, decrease in motor and cognitive function, as well as th...

Background: Thermal burn injuries impair the host defence system. Hence, in the present study, we aimed at investigating the changes in the number and phenotype of peripheral blood lymphocyte populations (T, B, and natural killer cells) and their subpopulations in patients with thermal burns and determining the relationships with different sizes of total body surface area (TBSA).    ...

BACKGROUND Reports of burn injuries in children are usually made by highly specialized burn units. Our facility admits children with burns covering < 20% total body surface area, while those with major burns are transferred to burn units at tertiary care facilities. OBJECTIVES To review our experience with thermal burns. METHODS We conducted a retrospective review of all thermal burns admit...

Providing nutritional support after thermal burn injury is a critical element in achieving successful patient outcomes. The medical records of 28 patients admitted to an acute care burn unit and referred to speech pathology for a swallowing evaluation were reviewed for patterns of dysphagia care. Results revealed a strong positive linear relationship between percent body burns (r = .71), number...