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Win The Spirit Custom Harley Davidson Motorcycle!!

"Augusta Burn Center Taxed by Case Influx"
"Icy Hot Pain Patches Recalled After Burn Reports"
"Burn Awareness Week Stresses Safety"
"Parents, Caregivers Urged to Take Caution to Avoid Child Burns"
"National Burn Awareness Week"
"Assessment of Cardiovascular Regulation After Burns by Nonlinear Analysis of the Electrocardiogram"
"Study Results From Ruhr University Broaden Understanding of Life Sciences"
"Burn Camp Helps Heal"
"Scientists at Erciyes University, Medical Department Target Burn Care Research"
"Research on Burn Care Research Discussed by Scientists at New York Medical College"
"Research Findings From J.Y. Chung et al Update Understanding of Burn Care Research"
"Studies From Morriston Hospital Yield New Information About Pediatric in Children"
"New Skin Grafting Study Findings Recently Were Published by Researchers at University of Tor Vergata"
"Clinic Trims Urgency for Burn Center"
"New Burn Care Research From Hermans Consulting Inc. Outlined"

All IAFF members are eligible to win The Spirit, a customized Harley Davidson motorcycle built by Lynn Jones and Lynnco Custom Cycles - makers of The Peacemaker custom-designed motorcycle dedicated to the memory of the late Mattie Stepanek and The Bravest custom-designed motorcycle dedicated to all IAFF fire fighters.


The Spirit motorcycle is a one-of-a-kind, fully customized Harley Davidson Road King. The custom paint (by Chris Cruz) includes an image of a fire fighter and the IAFF logo. This unique bike features chrome spoke wheels, brake calipers, whitewall tires and chrome accessories -- including signal/passing lights, footboards, pedals, levers, mirrors, front end kit, slammer bar and risers, fender trim and engine. In addition, The Spirit offers soft saddlebags and Corbin touring seats with custom backrests.

The Spirit raffle benefits the IAFF Burn Foundation and the Lynn Jones Foundation. Tickets are $100, and only 5,000 tickets will be sold.

(click for web site)

"Augusta Burn Center Taxed by Case Influx"
Charleston Post and Courier (02/13/08) Findlay, Prentiss

The recent explosion of the Imperial Sugar Co. plant in Wentworth, Ga., threatened to overwhelm the Joseph M. Still Burn Center. The 59-bed center located at Doctor's Hospital in Augusta usually only sees 15 patients with varying degrees of burns in a day. As a result of the Imperial explosion, the unit received 20 critically injured patients at one time. The regional center sees patients from South Carolina, Georgia, southern Tennessee, western North Carolina, northern Florida, and Mississippi. Dr. Fred Mullins of the burn center was sent to Savannah to stabilize the survivors, who were then helicoptered to the burn center. Mullins says the center was not in fact overwhelmed by the sudden influx of patients thanks to a disaster preparedness plan it has had in place for several years. Of the 20 survivors, 17 are still hospitalized. Two were recently upgraded from critical to serious condition, while the other 15 remain in medically induced comas.

"Icy Hot Pain Patches Recalled After Burn Reports"
ABC News (02/11/08) Hartman, Brian

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced a recall of Icy Hot Heat Therapy Air-Activated Heat patches because of reports the product caused first, second, and third degree burns in some users. The recall reportedly involves about 1.8 million boxes of the product, including all patch sizes. The FDA said it has received 200 reports of adverse events related to the patches over the past 13 months. However, representatives also noted most of these problems occurred when the patch was used improperly and that all injuries thus far have been medically reversible or temporary.

"Burn Awareness Week Stresses Safety"
Prince George Citizen (02/06/08)

Safety was the focus of the B.C. Professional Fire Fighters' Burn Fund (BCPFFBF) 12th annual Burn Awareness Week. The Burn Awareness Program Web site features animated videos, student activity sheets, coloring pages, and safety tips on how to avoid burn injury. As part of the annual event, BCPFFBF held a poster contest that will award 50 students the chance to win money for their school or sanctioned distance education facility.

"Parents, Caregivers Urged to Take Caution to Avoid Child Burns"
Jackson Hole Star Tribune (02/04/08) Rupp, Allison

Parents should be aware that children are especially vulnerable to burns in the winter, because the weather often keeps them indoors near hot liquids, appliances, and electrical currents. Hot baths and space heaters are two areas to be especially careful around. Bob Fawcett, fire prevention officer for Casper Fire-EMS, said children can suffer much more damage from a burn than an adult--a child's skin has much less surface area and can get scalded from 130-degree water. Children's curiosity also often gets them in trouble, and they like to try to play with electrical cords, love to help their parents cook at hot stoves, and are intrigued by the look and sound of fire. Parents should try to see the world as their child does, and look for anything that might be dangerous. Keep water to 120 degrees or lower, keep pot handles away from the edge of the stove, do not let towels hang off counters, keep candles away from children's reach, keep cords out of sight, put away curling irons and hair dryers when not in use, do not use the microwave to warm up a baby bottle, always supervise kids in the bathtub, and make sure smoke detectors are operational. If a child gets burned, run the burn under cold water until pain subsides, do not use lotions until the skin cools, and watch for an infection.

"National Burn Awareness Week"
Newstex (02/04/08) Durning, Marijke

MedlinePlus has released a few reminders about how to deal with minor and severe burns. For a minor burn, run or submerge the area in cool water for at least five minutes. Then cover with a dry, sterile bandage. Once the burn is cooled, moisturizing lotion can be used to relieve discomfort. Giving ibuprofen or acetaminophen can also help reduce pain and swelling. For a serious burn, call 911 immediately. Make sure the person is breathing and their airway remains as clear as possible. Cover the burn with a clean, dry bandage or cloth. Elevate the burned area above the heart and take steps to prevent shock. Do not apply water or ointments, and do not attempt to remove any clothing stuck to the skin. Any second degree burn that is over a large area or is on the hands, feet, groin, buttocks, or major joints should be treated as a severe burn.

"Assessment of Cardiovascular Regulation After Burns by Nonlinear Analysis of the Electrocardiogram"
Journal of Burn Care & Research (02/01/2008) Vol. 29, No. 1, P. 56; Batchinsky, Andriy; Wolf, Steven E.; Molter, Nancy

Researchers investigated the dynamics of the R-to-R interval (RRI) in burn patients, from the standpoint that the postburn period is associated with a state of low RRI complexity and that it is restored with successful resuscitation. Electrocardiograms for 13 patients (age 55 +/- 5 years, total body surface area burned 36 +/- 6 percent, 11 +/- 5 percent full thickness) occurred at 8, 12, 24, and 36 hours during postburn resuscitation, and all survived resuscitation, with little change in heart rate and blood pressure. Approximate entropy was abnormally low at eight hours but progressively increased after burn through 36 hours, and sample entropy showed similar significant changes. Symbol distribution entropy and bit-per-word entropy rose with resuscitation from 3.63 +/- 0.22 and 0.61 +/- 0.04 respectively at 8 hours postburn to 4.25 +/- 0.11 and 0.71 +/- 0.02 at 24 hours postburn. Physiologic deterioration could possibly explain the abnormally low RRI complexity during the early postburn period. Resuscitation was linked with the improvement in complexity measured by approximate entropy, sample entropy, and complementary changes in other measures. A better understanding of complexity could provide more answers about the cardiovascular response to burns.

"Study Results From Ruhr University Broaden Understanding of Life Sciences"
Science Letter (01/29/08) P. 4956

A new study reveals that using liposome PVP-I hydrogel facilitates the healing of burn wounds better than silver-sulfadiazine cream. Treatment with the new formulation resulted in faster complete healing among 43 patients with partial-thickness burn wounds (approximately 9.9 days versus 11.3 days for silver-sulfadiazine cream). Cosmetically, the new formulation resulted in excellent smoothness and elastically for 37 percent of study wounds compared to 13 percent of wounds treated with silver-sulfadiazine cream. Local tolerability was good, and the handling and changing of dressings were described as easy, according to H.H. Homann and colleagues at Ruhr University. The researchers concluded that "Local treatment with liposome PVP-I hydrogel thus provides faster wound healing with a favorable cosmetic result." Liposome polyvinyl-pyrrolidone-iodine (PVP-I) hydrogel is an innovative formulation of PVP-I in a liposome hydrogel with high water-binding capacity.

"Burn Camp Helps Heal"
Journal and Courier (Indiana) (01/27/08) Schneider, Dorothy

The Hoosier Burn Camp takes place every winter in West Lafayette, Ind., and offers families and burn survivors ages 8 to 18 an opportunity to heal emotionally from their wounds. Survivors who feel self-conscious about their burn scars can meet and make friends with others who have had similar experiences living in the world with burns. Parents, too, can benefit from meeting other parents who have helped a child to recover from burns. Both parents and children say the camp helps them feel they are not alone and teaches them the self-confidence and trust they need to deal with things in the real world.

"Scientists at Erciyes University, Medical Department Target Burn Care Research"
Surgery Litigation & Law Weekly (01/25/08) P. 197

The first study of immersion scalds by hot cokelek was published recently in the Journal of Burn Care & Research. The study examined 23 Turkish children scalded by hot cokelek and admitted to the burn unit of Erciyes University Medical Faculty. Eleven out of the 23 children died--a mortality rate of 47.8 percent. Deep partial and full thickness burns were present on all of the children, requiring surgery. The study concluded that hot cokelek burns should be considered important in areas where cokelek is frequently consumed due to the burns' high morbidity and mortality.

"Research on Burn Care Research Discussed by Scientists at New York Medical College"
Hospital Law Weekly (01/24/08) P. 232

Doctors now advise burn centers to cautiously administer ibuprofen to severe burn survivors, although the drug has not yet been linked definitively to complications. According to U.S. researchers, approximately one in every 50 children admitted to burn centers suffers from toxic epidermal necrolysis, erythema multiforme, or Stevens-Johnson syndrome, potentially debilitating conditions that increase morbidity rates and often lead to other health issues. Doctors studied children with these conditions and found a large percentage of those who were given both azithromycin and ibuprofen later developed exfoliating disease. This combination of drugs caused the most complications, but researchers observed that all pediatric burn patients who received ibuprofen developed one complication or another during treatment.

"Research Findings From J.Y. Chung et al Update Understanding of Burn Care Research"
Hospital Law Weekly (01/24/08) P. 231

The public should be made more aware of the potential for injury when working with cement, according to a new study from J.Y. Chung in the Journal of Burn Care & Research. The manufacture of cement can cause injuries such as contact dermatitis, abrasions, ulcerations, chemical burns, and burns from explosions. The study found that of 52,219 National Burn Repository burn admissions, 44 were cement related. The patients were predominantly men (95 percent) with an average age of 41 and an average hospital stay of 8 days.

"Studies From Morriston Hospital Yield New Information About Pediatric in Children"
Hospital Law Weekly (01/24/08) P. 723

A study of 233 patients treated for foot burns at the Welsh Centre for Burns shows males, especially adults, are more prone to foot burns than women. The five-year study, titled "Foot Burns: Epidemiology and Management," shows 40 percent of all foot burns occur in children, and boys are 1.6 times more likely to encounter them than girls. Meanwhile, adult men suffer 3.5 times as many foot burns as adult women. Though children are more prone to burns, approximately two-thirds were only considered scalds, while roughly one-third of foot burns suffered by adults were scalds and another one-third were chemical burns. The study recommends that a survivor of a severe burn immediately check into a burn center where he or she can be observed overnight and have wounds cleaned and dressed regularly.

"New Skin Grafting Study Findings Recently Were Published by Researchers at University of Tor Vergata"
Biotech Week (01/23/08) P. 3399

Researchers led by G. Gravante and colleagues at the University of Tor Vergata have conducted a study to compare the ReCell system of epidermal cells delivery versus traditional skin grafting for partial thickness burns. The researchers launched a randomized trial to gauge epidermal replacement among patients using the two techniques. The scientists recruited all patients with deep partial thickness burns admitted at the burn center of the S. Eugenio Hospital in Rome, Italy, over two years. "Enrollment was conducted with a controlled strategy--sampling chart--that allowed homogeneous groups (ReCell and skin grafting) for age, gender, type of burns, and total burn surface area." They evaluated such factors as the time for complete epithelization (both treated area and biopsy site) and the aesthetic and functional quality of the epithelization, the researchers wrote. They concluded that while skin grafting was faster than ReCell, the use of the latter resulted in lower postoperative pain and smaller biopsy areas. The researchers concluded that ReCell provides results comparable to skin grafting "but, harvesting minor areas can open possible future applications in the management of large-burn patients."

"Clinic Trims Urgency for Burn Center"
Clarion Ledger (01/22/08) Chandler, Natalie

The Joseph M. Still Burn Center in Augusta, Ga., hopes to open an outpatient burn clinic in Rankin County, Miss. on March 1. Dr. Fred Mullins of the burn center said the new clinic would primarily offer follow-up care for burn survivors initially treated at the Georgia facility. The new clinic is expected to be located at the Rankin Medical Center in Brandon, Miss. Officials estimate there will be 24 patients per month, said Yancy Cooper, director of marketing at Rankin Medical Center. That number might double over the next year if things proceed successfully, she said. Mullins said private funds will fund the clinic. He also said Rankin Medical Center would treat patients who are less severely burned as outpatients and provide "minor reconstruction" surgery.

"New Burn Care Research From Hermans Consulting Inc. Outlined"
NewsRx.com (01/21/08) P. 37

Hermans Consulting conducted an Internet survey of directors of burn centers to determine which methods are most commonly used for partial and full thickness burns. The top materials used are silver sulphadiazine 1 percent cream, antimicrobial ointments, and impregnated gauze type dressings. For partial thickness burns and donor sites, two silver dressings are most frequently used, while excision and grafting are the most common methods for full thickness burns. The wide variety of methods and materials listed in the survey indicate little consensus among experts on which types of treatment are best, the study found. Respondents generally preferred older, tested materials over new ones.

The inclusion of articles in the IAFF Burn Foundation Briefing does not imply the IAFF or IAFF Burn Foundation's endorsement of their content nor any particular organizations or programs highlighted in these articles. Articles are intended to increase awareness of media coverage of topics relevant to our community and are provided for informational purposes only.

© Copyright 2008 INFORMATION, INC.

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