Patients with extensive and complex wounds due to Necrotizing Soft-Tissue Infections (NSTI) may be referred to a burn center. This study describes the characteristics, outcomes, as well as diagnostic challenges of these patients. Patients admitted to three hospitals with a burn center for the treatment of NSTI in a 5-year period were included. Eighty patients (median age 54 years, 60% male) were identified, of whom 30 (38%) were referred by other centers, usually after survival of the initial septic phase. Those referred from other centers, compared to those primarily admitted to the study hospitals, were more likely to have group A streptococcal involvement (62% vs 35%, p = .02), larger wounds (median 7% vs 2% total body surface area, p < .001), and a longer length of stay (median 49 vs 22 days, p < .001). Despite a high incidence of septic shock (50%), the mortality rate was low (12%) for those primarily admitted. Approximately half (53%) of the patients were initially misdiagnosed upon presentation, which was associated with delay to first surgery (16 hours vs 4 hours, p < .001). Those initially misdiagnosed had more (severe) comorbidities, and less frequently reported pain or blue livid discoloration of the skin. This study underlines the burn centers' function as referral centers for extensively affected patients with NSTI. Besides the unique wound and reconstructive expertise, the low mortality rate indicates these centers provide adequate acute care as well. A major remaining challenge remains recognition of the disease upon presentation. Future studies in which factors associated with misdiagnosis are explored are needed.
For deep partial-thickness burns no consensus on the optimal treatment has been reached due to conflicting study outcomes with low quality evidence. Treatment options in high- and middle-income countries include conservative treatment with delayed excision and grafting if needed; and early excision and grafting. The majority of timing of surgery studies focus on survival rather than on quality of life. This study protocol describes a study that aims to compare long-term scar quality, clinical outcomes, and patient-reported outcomes between the treatment options. A multicentre prospective study will be conducted in the three Dutch burn centres (Rotterdam, Beverwijk, and Groningen). All adult patients with acute deep-partial thickness burns, based on healing potential with Laser Doppler Imaging, are eligible for inclusion. During a nine-month baseline period, standard practice will be monitored. This includes conservative treatment with dressings and topical agents, and excision and grafting of residual defects if needed 14–21 days post-burn. The subsequent nine months, early surgery is advocated, involving excision and grafting in the first week to ten days post-burn. The primary outcome compared between the two groups is long-term scar quality assessed by the Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale 3.0 twelve months after discharge. Secondary outcomes include clinical outcomes and patient-reported outcomes like quality of life and return to work. The aim of the study is to assess long-term scar quality in deep partial-thickness burns after conservative treatment with delayed excision and grafting if needed, compared to early excision and grafting. Adding to the ongoing debate on the optimal treatment of these burns. The broad range of studied outcomes will be used for the development of a decision aid for deep partial-thickness burns, to fully inform patients at the point of consent to surgery and support optimal person-centred care.
Pain in critically ill adults with burns should be assessed using structured pain behavioural observation measures. This study tested the clinimetric qualities and usability of the behaviour pain scale (BPS) and the critical-care pain observation tool (CPOT) in this population. This prospective observational cohort study included 132 nurses who rated pain behaviour in 75 patients. The majority of nurses indicated that BPS and CPOT reflect background and procedural pain-specific features (63–72 and 87–80%, respectively). All BPS and CPOT items loaded on one latent variable (≥0.70), except for compliance ventilator and vocalisation for CPOT (0.69 and 0.64, respectively). Internal consistency also met the criterion of ≥0.70 in ventilated and non-ventilated patients for both scales, except for non-ventilated patients observed by BPS (0.67). Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) of total scores were sufficient (≥0.70), but decreased when patients had facial burns. In general, the scales were fast to administer and easy to understand. Cut-off scores for BPS and CPOT were 4 and 1, respectively. In conclusion, both scales seem valid, reliable, and useful for the measurement of acute pain in ICU patients with burns, including patients with facial burns. Cut-off scores associated with BPS and CPOT for the burn population allow professionals to connect total scores to person-centred treatment protocols.
Achtergrond: In acute intensieve werksettings, waar de werkdruk al hoog was en er altijd impact is van indrukwekkende gebeurtenissen, zorgt COVID-19 voor toename van druk. Zorgprofessionals worden geconfronteerd met een nieuw en onbekend ziektebeeld, lopen risico op besmetting of om een besmettingsbron voor patiënten te zijn, communicatie met de patiënt is minder goed mogelijk, en zij krijgen te maken met een hogere werkdruk. Dit leidt tot een ongezonde werksituatie. De potentiële gevolgen hiervan zijn (post-traumatische) stress, burn-out en uitval. Er is daarom noodzaak om curatieve ondersteuning tijdens de crisis/indrukwekkende gebeurtenissen en preventieve ondersteuning ter voorbereiding op crisis/indrukwekkende gebeurtenissen en ter nazorg aan te bieden. Professionals uit het netwerk van Lectoraat Acute Intensieve Zorg werkzaam in de frontlinie vanuit ambulance, Spoedeisende Hulp (SEH), Acute Opname Afdelingen en Intensive Care geven aan moeite te hebben met het omgaan met de indrukwekkende situaties bij de COVID-19 crisis. Ze hebben gevraagd om een toolkit van werkzame interventies die kunnen worden ingezet om beter met deze situatie om te kunnen gaan om hiermee duurzame inzetbaarheid in, tijdens en na crisissituaties te vergroten. Het gaat hierbij om interventies gericht op curatieve en preventieve ondersteuning. Plan van aanpak: In dit project wordt ontwerpgericht onderzoek middels mixed methods design toegepast. In co-creatie met de praktijk ontwikkelen we een toolkit met bruikbare, zo mogelijk evidence based, interventies om zorgprofessionals te ondersteunen om om te gaan met indrukwekkende gebeurtenissen, gebaseerd op lessen uit de COVID-19 crisis. Deze toolkit dient ervoor om duurzame inzetbaarheid te ondersteunen en te vergroten. Vanuit de HAN werken de lectoraten Acute Intensieve Zorg en Human Resource Management nauw samen met beroepsverenigingen en publieke instellingen uit de acuut intensieve keten. Alle partners verspreiden ontwikkelde kennis en producten via hun netwerk.
