Thermal Burn Injuries

Many burn casualties may occur as a result of incendiary attacks on cities and military personnel in the field during conventional warfare. In nuclear warfare, burns will be the most frequent injury seen.

Because of the complexity of burns treatment and the increased logistical requirements associated with the management of burns, they will constitute the most difficult problem faced by the medical personnel.

Certain factors are of prime importance in the early evaluation of burns because of their relation to overall prognosis.

Area of the burns; expressed in percentage of body surface involved.

Involvement of critical organs; i.e., head and neck, respiratory tract, genitalia, hands, and feet.

Depth of burn; superficial (first degree), or deep (second degree) and full thickness (third degree).

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