Burns

**Definition:** A burn is an injury to the tissues caused by a pathological flux of energy which causes cellular destruction and irreversible denaturation of proteins and is primarily caused by thermal or other acute trauma.

**Long definition:** A burn is an injury to the tissues caused by a pathological flux of energy which causes cellular destruction and irreversible denaturation of proteins. The pathological energy most commonly involved is thermal but may also be chemical, electrical, radiation or physical (friction). The tissue most commonly involved is the skin but the respiratory tract may be involved in inhalational burns, the gastrointestinal tract may be involved in ingestional burns and the corneal epithelium may be involved in ocular burns. The spectrum of burn injury is the greatest of any form of trauma and the effects and consequence of the burn injury will increase with the increasing severity of the damage caused. A severe burn can give rise to systemic effects that can result in life-threatening sequelae which require specialized treatment in dedicated burns units and facilities. In the absence of appropriate acute care patients may survive but with scarring that can cause deformity and disability. Specialized burn treatment facilities may also be required forother medical conditions where the protective function of the skin is lost for example in blistering skin diseases such as toxic epidermal necrolysis. A chemical burn involves the disintegration of skin, tissue or bone into its constituent atoms due to chemical reactions with its surroundings.

**Inclusions:** - burns from friction - burns from hot air and hot gases - burns from hot objects - burns from lightning - external chemical burn or corrosion - internal chemical burn or corrosion

**Exclusions:** - Neonatal phototherapy burn - Adverse cutaneous effects of therapeutic ionizing irradiation - Adverse effects of phototherapy - Photosensitivity due to drug - Phototoxic reactions to skin contact with photoactive agents - Sunburn