ANESTHESIA FOR PATIENTS WITH BURNS

Course overview

ANESTHETIC MANAGEMENT OF THE BURN PATIENT CAN BE A COMPLEX TASK DUE TO VARIOUS PATHOPHYSIOLOGICAL AND HEMODYNAMIC CHANGES FOLLOWING BURN COMPRISING GREATER THAN 20% TOTAL BODY SURFACE AREA. THE SEVERELY BURNED PATIENT POSES ADDED CHALLENGES OF AIRWAY MANAGEMENT, FLUID RESUSCITATION, AND VASCULAR ACCESS DUE TO DIRECT TRAUMA TO THE SKIN AND SOFT TISSUE STRUCTURES. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS AND HIGHLIGHTS THE IMPORTANT COMPONENTS NECESSARY FOR THE ANESTHETIC MANAGEMENT OF A SEVERELY BURNED PATIENT, EMPHASIZING THE INTER-PROFESSIONAL TEAM IN EVALUATION AND TREATMENT.