Respiratory tract burns in emergency medical care

Abstract

Respiratory tract burns are among the most serious injuries. Complications include rapid swelling of the respiratory tract, which is the cause of high mortality rates. Such injuries require appropriate specialist treatment. The priority in emergency medical care is to ensure the airways remain unobstructed. If symptoms appear that suggest rapidly increasing swelling of the respiratory tract, intubation becomes essential to ensure the airways remain open. The aim of this article is to discuss the issue of the necessity to develop guidelines for emergency medical personnel attending patients with respiratory tract burns. Currently, according to the State Emergency Medical Care statute, paramedics may carry out intubation on patients suffering from sudden cardiac arrest. According to the Regulation of the Minister of Health of the 20th April 2016, the list of actions that a paramedic may freely undertake does not include intubation of patients with rapidly increasing swelling of the respiratory tract caused by burns. Taking into consideration the decrease in the number of specialist teams, recommendations should be developed as quickly as possible on indications for prompt intubation of patients with inhalation injuries. The scope of emergency medical treatment carried out independently by paramedics should also be expanded.