Journal Club - not just for doctors

Abstract

In extensive thermal injuries with posterior involvement early necrectomy and split thickness skin gra9ing of the back is notoriously difficult due to exposure of skin gra9s to shear stress and pressure. An addi?onal tool in the management of burn wounds is the air fluidized bed. The aim of this retrospec?ve study was to evaluate the impact of air fluidized support on the outcome of pa?ents with thermal injuries of the posterior trunk. MethodsAll pa?ents with TBSA ≥15% admiIed to the Burn Intensive Care Unit of the Division of Plas?c and Reconstruc?ve Surgery, Vienna General Hospital, Austria, between January 2003 and December 2014 were included in this retrospec?ve study. Demographical data, ICU records and surgical records were collected and sta?s?cally evaluated in respect of different treatment regimens (air fluidized bed versus conven?onal pressure--reducing maIresses).