Warning

The Care of Burns in Scotland national MCN website can be referred to for access to further clinical guidelines.

 

Paediatrics

COBIS have published paediatric guidelines on the following:

Airway burns inhalation

COBIS fluid guidelines

Analgesia in the ED

  • Intravenous morphine 1st line and intravenous ketamine 2nd line.
  • Cover burns with non circumferential cling film.

Intranasal fentanyl can be used for paediatric analgesia. (See dosing guideline in ED).

Airway burns

  • Suspect in patients with facial, perioral or nasal burns.
  • Voice changes, hoarseness and stridor require further examination and intervention.
  • Refer immediately to anaesthesia.
  • All airway burns should be managed by rapidly securing the airway with an uncut endotracheal tube.

Smoke inhalation

  • Consider early anaesthetic review for consideration of a definitive airway
  • Suspect in fire victims who have:
    • History of altered level of consciousness.
    • Respiratory problems.
    • Rescued from an enclosed place.
  • Perform an arterial or venous blood gas for carboxyhaemoglobin.
  • A Carboxyhaemoglobin >10% is diagnostic.
  • Administer high flow oxygen until the carboxyhaemoglobin level is <10%.
  • Prescribe VTE prophylaxis.
  • Treat cyanide poisoning if unconscious and lactate >10 in the absence of major burns after resuscitation.
  • Utilise lung protective strategies for patients that require ventilation.

Fluid management

  • Do not use 0.9% saline, albumin or hypertonic saline for resuscitation.
  • Use a balanced salt solution e.g. plasmalyte, ringers lactate.
  • Baseline fluids will also be required (incorporating early enteral nutrition).
  • Circulate urine output with ideal body weight.
  • If urine output low for >2 hours senior review.
Parklands Formula Urine Output Action
Resuscitation fluid in first 24 hours = <0.25ml/kg/hr Give 500ml bolus
Actual body weight x BSA burned (%) x4 0-25 05ml/kg.hr1-2ml/kg/hr

Give 250ml bolus

Reduce resuscitation fluid by 50ml/hr

Half in first 8 hours and half in second 16 hours >2ml/kg/hr Reduce resuscitation fluid by 100ml/hr

Referral to burns units

  • TBSA > 10%.
  • TBSA >5% with significant co-morbidities/pregnant/immunocompromised.
  • Facial Burns >3% with or without inhalation.
  • Hand.
  • Genitals/perineum.
  • Circumferential.
  • Requiring Critical Care.
  • Chemical Burns.
  • High Voltage Electrical Burns.

Guideline for the management of adult burns

Guideline for the management of Adult Burns

Editorial Information

Last reviewed: 01/09/2021

Next review date: 01/09/2024

Version: 1.0