These improvements are the direct result of a continuously expanding body of knowledge of the pathophysiology of thermal injury and its systemic consequences along with rapid growth of medical technology and improved surgical techniques. Prevention and treatment of shock 2. Control of bacterial proliferation 3. In Australia we have no reliable figures but we estimate that about 100,000 burns occur annually. In Sydney we treat about 150 to 250 major burn patients in hospital.
Most burns involve the upper limbs and or the head and neck region.
Heat can cause partial or complete destruction of the skin and underlying issues. There may be great local and general effects. A large burn is a major illness and can be life threatening. The extent is expressed as a percentage of the total body surface area. Depth is classified as partial or full thickness.