"Transfusion-Related Acute Lung Injuries Identified in Burn Patients"
"World Burn Congress to Be Held in Vancouver"
"Deaths of Police Officers, Firefighters Highlights Need for Blood Supply"
"Rhythm of Recovery"
"Burn Center Bill Clears Key Senate Committee"
"Kentucky Considers 'Fire-Safe' Cigarettes"
"Cuba Develops Artificial Skin for Burn Patients"
"Best Buy Recalls Remotes for Burn Hazard"
"Security Patrol Helps Young Burn Victim"
"Victim: Burn Center Needed"
"What Would You Do: A Bad Burn"
"Clean Chimneys Prevent Fires"
"The Use of Anabolic Agents in Catatonic States"
"Professionals Learn to Treat Burn Victims"
"Repetitive Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury: A Plausible Mechanism for Documented Clinical Burn-Depth Progression After Thermal Injury"

"Transfusion-Related Acute Lung Injuries Identified in Burn Patients"
CCNMatthews (03/06/07) Lepper, Melanie

Scientists at one of Canada's biggest burn centers--the Ross Tilley Burn Centre in Toronto--have confirmed that in rare situations, burn survivors with acute lung injuries may have pulmonary complications as a result of blood transfusions. Referred to as transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI), it is an infrequent but serious condition that happens in around one in 5,000 patients who get blood products. Most TRALI cases fix themselves within three to four days, but the syndrome remains the largest cause of death in blood transfusion procedures. Burn survivors are especially at risk due to the amount of blood they get during surgeries such as skin graft operations. "This study garners recognition and awareness for TRALI in burn patients and acknowledges the need to develop a way to identify the condition in these patients," stated the study's lead author, Dr. Robert Cartotto. "Medical personnel need to have an appreciation for the syndrome and carefully monitor those receiving blood transfusions, especially burn patients."

"World Burn Congress to Be Held in Vancouver"
CKNW 980 AM (Vancouver) (03/04/07)

Vancouver will host the World Burn Congress from Oct. 3-6, marking the first time the province has hosted the event, according to an announcement from the BC Firefighter's Burn Fund. The conference not only provides an opportunity for burn survivors and specialists to network, it informs the public about the challenges facing burn survivors, says the Burn Fund's Tony Burke. The public tends to treat burn survivors differently, sometimes quite cruelly, Burke says. The Burn Fund is aware of at least 1,000 burn survivors, but the real number is probably much higher because many burn survivors prefer to stay hidden from society.

"Deaths of Police Officers, Firefighters Highlights Need for Blood Supply"
Winnipeg Free Press (03/02/07) Owen, Bruce

Fire fighters, police, and Canadian Blood Services hope that the launch of their 2007 Sirens for Life Blood Challenge will provide Winnipeg with the strong blood supply it needs. Members from the fire paramedic service will compete with the WPS to see which service gets the most donors; last year the fire fighters and paramedics won by a margin of 20 donors. Together, the two services produced a total of 246 donors. The public is also encouraged to donate. Martin Johnson, a Firefighters Burn Fund spokesman, reveals that approximately 100 burn survivors a year are treated with blood donations. The importance of a stable blood supply hits close to home; two fire fighters were killed in February.

"Rhythm of Recovery"
Burn Support News (Quarter 1, 2007) Stevens, Christine

Drum circles are enabling burn survivors and others to reduce stress and pain and connect with other people through music. The ancient healing art of drumming is found to have beneficial effects on its users. A 2001 study by Dr. Barry Bittman found that blood samples taken prior to and after drumming revealed a rise in natural killer cells, the white blood cells that find and eradicate cancer and virally infected cells within the body. Research reveals that while listening to music can make people feel better and help them voice their feelings, it is the physical experience of creating music that alters one's body chemistry. Drumming circle sessions are provided at medical centers, community parks, rehab facilities, and Fortune 500 firms. Individuals can form a drum circle for a burn survivors' camp. "The Art and Heart of Drum Circles" is a book and DVD that instructs anybody in the practice of leading a drum circle for a healing experience.

"Burn Center Bill Clears Key Senate Committee"
Clarion-Ledger (02/27/07) Chandler, Natalie

A proposal to create a burn center at the University of Mississippi Medical Center succeeded today in a Senate committee, and will proceed to the Senate floor for deliberation. The center would replace the Greenville burn unit closed in 2005 due to budget and staffing issues. The $10 million price tag would be backed by the state general fund, counties with taxes earmarked for the cause, and income from car tags.

"Kentucky Considers 'Fire-Safe' Cigarettes"
Firehouse.com (02/23/07) Schreiner, Bruce

The Kentucky state Senate passed a measure on Feb. 20 requiring the state to sell only "fire safe" cigarettes, and a state House committee has cleared another such proposal. Lorraine Carli, spokeswoman for the National Fire Protection Association, explains that switching to fire-safe cigarettes is a public safety, not an anti-smoking, accomplishment. Approximately one-third of fire deaths in Kentucky are the result of fires triggered by cigarettes or other smoking materials. The new cigarettes have "speed bumps"--thin paper bands--which can slow and then extinguish the burning of cigarettes. RJ Reynolds Tobacco opposes the legislation, claiming there is not enough evidence that fire-safe cigarettes will appreciably reduce the number of fires, and recommends smoke detectors and fire-retardant fabrics instead. Still, according to Carli, at least 19 other state legislatures are considering similar measures, and fire officials in New York--the first state to enact such legislation--claim to have seen a difference.

"Cuba Develops Artificial Skin for Burn Patients"
AHORA.cu (02/23/07)

Cuban researchers at the laboratory of the National Center for Animal and Plant Health are creating an artificial skin for patients with third-degree burns.

"Best Buy Recalls Remotes for Burn Hazard"
Business Week (02/22/07)

Citing a potential burn hazard, Best Buy has issued a voluntary recall for some 10,000 remote controls. The faulty remotes were manufactured in China, with model number NS-A1113 printed on the front, and they were sold in tandem with the Insignia 100W DVD Compact Shelf System. The remotes pose a burn hazard if batteries are placed backward inside the remote; one incident of overheating has already been reported. Best Buy has stated that consumers should immediately stop using the remote controls and contact the company for a free replacement.

"Security Patrol Helps Young Burn Victim"
Blackanthem Military News (02/21/07) Levasseur, David

As they were monitoring the Kadamiyah neighborhood in western Baghdad on Feb. 16, an Iraqi man and his seven-year-old son came up to members of the 1st Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment (AIR). The child had been severely burned about a week before in an accident. Although the father had taken his son to the area hospital, the wound had since become infected. Pvt. Robert Connet, a medic from Fort Wayne, Ind., and Spc. Marcus Wagner from Anaheim, Calif., both from Company D, I-325th AIR, decided to launch treatment immediately. They inspected the wound and replaced the bandages, and they also gave the boy a piece of candy.

"Victim: Burn Center Needed"
Clarion-Ledger (02/18/07) Salter, Sid

Although Mississippi has the largest number of fire-associated facilities in the country--at 4.21 per 100,000 inhabitants--it still does not have a burn treatment center. Burn survivor Joel Waters, the executive director of Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Mississippi, was injured nearly 44 years ago by a fire that covered his skin with second- and third-degree burns from the waist up. He was treated with numerous plastic surgeries and "sanding"--dermabrasion and dermaplaning employed by plastic surgeons to help "refinish" the top layers of the skin. Waters is vocal about the fact that Mississippi must have an up-to-date burn facility. Lawmakers are discussing the matter in the current session. House Bill 567 would finance a treatment center for burn services at the University of Mississippi Medical Center and would mandate $10 million to build a burn treatment center at the university and offer around $5 million in yearly operating costs thereafter. Retired Mississippi Health Department spokeswoman Nancy Kay Sullivan Wessman contends, though, that the state does not have enough burn survivors to justify the cost of running and staffing a top-notch burn center and that Mississippi would be better off utilizing the money to improve trauma care.

"What Would You Do: A Bad Burn"
9WSYR.COM (02/17/07)

Scald burns are common, but many people are unsure how to treat them. Medical experts recommend that people try to stop the burning process immediately after the burn occurs by running the wounded area under cold water. People typically reach for butter or ointment, but experts say such ointments hold in the heat and should be avoided. After running cold water over the wound, the burn should be covered as should any blisters that form. People should be careful not to tear the blister.

"Clean Chimneys Prevent Fires"
HOI 19 Online (02/17/07) Michels, Laura

The recent snow storms may prompt homeowners to use their fireplaces, but if not properly maintained, fireplaces could lead to chimney fires, says Brian Reynolds, fire captain in Peoria, Ill. Chimney sweep Dennis Meinders says maintenance is needed to prevent excessive build-up within the chimney flue, and that cracks can lead to fires and carbon monoxide poisoning. Fire fighters recommend that homeowners clear their chimney yearly. Ashes from the fireplace should be kept in a fireproof container outdoors. No flammable liquids should ever be used to start a fire, and only wood, newspaper, or kindling--such as dry sticks--should be burned.

"The Use of Anabolic Agents in Catatonic States"
Journal of Burns and Wounds (Quarter 1, 2007) P. 45; Demling, Robert

The genetically programmed "fright-flight" or "stress" response takes place with infections, surgery, serious illness, or any significant injury. In modern man, the response is destructive, though it may once have been helpful for short-term insults. The response is a mixture of abnormal hormonal imbalance, with catabolic hormone levels rising and anabolic hormone levels falling, and excessive inflammation. These conditions trigger protein breakdown and reduced protein synthesis, which in turn lead to organ damage, infections, and death. However, certain agents help improve net anabolism, such as the amino acids arginine, HMB, and--with the most potent qualities--glutamine. Anabolic hormones such as insulin, IGF-1, and IGF-1/IGFBP-3, are also found to decrease catabolism. Scientists are especially interested in IFG-1/IGFBP-3, which decreases inflammation as well as improving hormonal balance.

"Professionals Learn to Treat Burn Victims"
Burlington Free Press (VT) (02/11/07) Melloni, Julia

This year's Advanced Burn Life Support course at the University of Vermont's Bio Research Complex gathered 10 healthcare professionals from all over New England to learn more about treating burns. One main lesson imparted was that performing basic first aid and getting burn survivors to the hospital quickly are paramount in helping burn patients. In addition, covering burns with a dry dressing is preferable, and it is a bad idea to slather a serious burn patient with butter or grease, says Fletcher Allen Health Care general surgery resident Carter Freiburg. First responders also should not over-inject burn patients with fluids, because this can retard oxygen circulation. Vermont has one of the highest levels of fire-related injuries of any state in the Northeast if statistics are examined on a per-capita basis, says University of Vermont physician's assistant Peter Igneri. Rural and low income areas of Vermont especially are prone to fire injury, says Igneri. Many outdoor burns occur when rural residents light yard fires with gasoline.

"Repetitive Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury: A Plausible Mechanism for Documented Clinical Burn-Depth Progression After Thermal Injury"
Journal of Burn Care & Research (02/01/2007) Vol. 28, No. 1, P. 13; Jaskille, Amin D.; Jeng, James C.; Sokolich, Julio C.

Burn patients sometimes experience burn depth progression despite sufficient use of Parkland formula resuscitation, say researchers. This might be explained by repetitive ischemia-reperfusion injury (I-R), as indicated by concurrent shifts in serum base deficit (BD). This report seeks to determine whether the use of laser Doppler imaging of burn depth progression reflects cycles of I-R, or shifts in continually assessed BD. Fourteen patients were observed who had life-threatening burns and who experienced continuous BD observation via a Paratrend 7 (Malvern PA) during two days of resuscitation. Their fluid requirements were gauged using the Parkland formula and were titrated to urine output. Of the patients, only four reached a normal BD within 12 hours of observation. The data indicated cyclical peaks and valleys in the BD curve, indicating repeating I-R insults. In addition, all BD increases typically came before detectable changes in vital signs or urine output. Reactions to fluid resuscitation do not conform to a linear pattern when serious burns occur. Such repetitive periods of tissue hypoperfusion may cause the burn wound to become deeper, according to the researchers.

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