Clinical profile and recovery pattern of dysphonia following inhalation injury: A 10-year review.

Introduction: Inhalation injury may be associated with increased risk of dysphonia and laryngotracheal pathology; however, presentation and recovery patterns are not well documented.

Objectives: To examine the prevalence, clinical characteristics, and recovery patterns of dysphonia and laryngeal pathology following inhalation injury.

Methods: A retrospective audit was conducted of all burn patients with diagnosed inhalation injury admitted to two Australian burn units over ten years.

A Composite Application Technique of Single-stage Dermal Templates to Improve Handling and Ease of Use.

The "work horse" for the treatment of full-thickness defects of any etiology, including chronic nonhealing wounds and traumatic injuries, is generally autologous split-thickness skin grafts (STSGs), meshed, hand-fenestrated, or a sheet graft. Advancements in skin tissue engineering have allowed for the integration of dermal substitutes to be combined with autologous STSGs, adding valuable options for restoring the skin's complex multilayered structure. Although dermal templates offer a promising avenue for more nuanced reconstruction in certain cases, their application is not without challenges, particularly when they are made from delicate materials.

Swallowing impairment in older persons following burn injury: Validation of incidence and predictive factors for dysphagia.

Background: Early retrospective data identify that dysphagia is common in older persons with burn injury, suggesting a rate of 47 %, and that it is associated with medical, burn, and nutritional outcomes.

Aims: To prospectively (1) explore the incidence, (2) describe associations, and (3) evaluate risk factors for dysphagia in patients ≥ 75 years old hospitalised with burn injury.

Methods: All patients > 75 years old admitted to Concord-Repatriation-General-Hospital with burn injury over 4 years (2019-2023) were assessed for dysphagia on presentation and were continually monitored throughout their admission.

Surgical release of the chest wall skin and fascia for sclerodermatous graft versus host disease causing restrictive lung disease: A case report.

Introduction: Graft versus host disease (GVHD) remains a significant source of morbidity and mortality in the setting of allogeneic stem cell transplantation. Skin involvement is reported to be as high as 70-95 % in this group with GVHD and the severity of the involvement varies widely. Surgical management of complications of severe cutaneous GVHD is uncommon and is rarely mentioned as a treatment option.

The seven-fold rise in incidence of Stevens-Johnson syndrome & toxic epidermal necrolysis: Associations with COVID-19 and the vaccine.

Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS)/toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) is a rare, potentially life threatening mucocutaneous hypersensitivity reaction resulting in desquamation of the skin and mucosa. These patients are managed on burns units due to the widespread desquamation. We report the largest case series of participants developing SJS/TEN in the setting of recent COVID infection or vaccination.

Skin 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 enzyme expression regulates burn wound healing and can be targeted to modify scar characteristics.

Background: Excessive scarring and fibrosis are the most severe and common complications of burn injury. Prolonged exposure to high levels of glucocorticoids detrimentally impacts on skin, leading to skin thinning and impaired wound healing. Skin can generate active glucocorticoids locally through expression and activity of the 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 enzyme (11β-HSD1).

Cold burns as a result of cosmetic cryolipolysis: An emerging concern from the NSW Statewide Burn Injury Service.

Cold burns are an uncommon mechanism of burn injury in Australia, where environmental exposure to freezing temperatures is rare. Aetiological research shows that most likely causes are related to intentional injury or industrial accidents Cryolipolysis, a cosmetic technique advertised as 'fat freezing', has recently emerged as a method of fat reduction and body contouring. Whilst perceived as safe, this study presents the world's first case series on cold burns sustained from cryolipolysis.

Alginate Dressings Continuously for 14 Days on Uncontaminated, Superficial, Partial Thickness Burns.

Calcium alginate dressings are commonly used on split-thickness skin donor sites, where they are typically removed after 14 days. Alginates have been used previously on superficial, partial thickness burns, but changed every 3 to 5 days. In this study, alginates were applied to superficial, partial thickness burns on adults within 36 hours of injury, then left intact for up to 14 days.

Thermoresponsive and Injectable Hydrogel for Tissue Agnostic Regeneration.

Injectable hydrogels can support the body's innate healing capability by providing a temporary matrix for host cell ingrowth and neovascularization. The clinical adoption of current injectable systems remains low due to their cumbersome preparation requirements, device malfunction, product dislodgment during administration, and uncontrolled biological responses at the treatment site. To address these challenges, a fully synthetic and ready-to-use injectable biomaterial is engineered that forms an adhesive hydrogel that remains at the administration site regardless of defect anatomy.

Intravenous iron therapy to treat burn anaemia: A retrospective cohort study.

Purpose: Intravenous iron is an effective treatment for anaemia in many populations but has not been evaluated in those with burn anaemia. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of intravenous iron to manage burn anaemia.

Methodology: This was a retrospective cohort study of patients admitted to the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital with burns to at least 15% total body surface area (TBSA).

Iron status in patients with burn anaemia.

Purpose: The iron status of burn patients is poorly understood, limited by difficulty interpreting conventional iron studies in the context of the acute phase response triggered by critical illness. The aim of this study was to evaluate the iron status of patients with burn anaemia using recent post-operative guidelines.

Methodology: This retrospective cohort study utilised data collected from records for adult patients admitted to the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital with burns to at least 15% TBSA.

Challenges and innovations in treating chronic and acute wound infections: from basic science to clinical practice.

Acute and chronic wound infection has become a major worldwide healthcare burden leading to significantly high morbidity and mortality. The underlying mechanism of infections has been widely investigated by scientist, while standard wound management is routinely been used in general practice. However, strategies for the diagnosis and treatment of wound infections remain a great challenge due to the occurrence of biofilm colonization, delayed healing and drug resistance.

Controlled dual release of dihydrotestosterone and flutamide from polycaprolactone electrospun scaffolds accelerate burn wound healing.

Wound healing is a complex process involving multiple independent and overlapping sequential physiological mechanisms. In addition to cutaneous injury, a severe burn stimulates physiological derangements that induce a systemic hypermetabolic response resulting in impaired wound healing. Topical application of the anti-androgen drug, flutamide accelerates cutaneous wound healing, whereas paradoxically systemic dihydrotestosterone (DHT) improves burn wound healing.

Management of foot burns with an emphasis on high-risk groups.

Background: Burns injuries are dynamic and evolve over time. Burn injuries to the feet present with seasonal variation, affecting clinical outcomes for certain high-risk groups. Although they affect a very small percentage of the body, burn injuries to the feet can affect mobility, morbidity and rehabilitation, particularly in patients with diabetes.

Wound healing and dermal regeneration in severe burn patients treated with NovoSorb® Biodegradable Temporising Matrix: A prospective clinical study.

Introduction: For extensive burns, autologous donor skin may be insufficient for early debridement and grafting in a single stage. A novel, synthetic polyurethane dermal template (NovoSorb® Biodegradable Temporising Matrix, BTM) was developed to address this need. The aim of this study was to evaluate use of BTM for primary dermal repair after deep burn injury.

Low-protein diet accelerates wound healing in mice post-acute injury.

Background: Wound healing processes are influenced by macronutrient intake (protein, carbohydrate and fat). The most favourable diet for cutaneous wound healing is not known, although high-protein diets are currently favoured clinically. This experimental study investigates the optimal macronutrient balance for cutaneous wound healing using a mouse model and the Geometric Framework, a nutrient modelling method, capable of analyzing the individual and interactive effects of a wide spectrum of macronutrient intake.

The contradictory role of androgens in cutaneous and major burn wound healing.

Wound healing is a complex process involving four overlapping phases: haemostasis, inflammation, cell recruitment and matrix remodeling. In mouse models, surgical, pharmacological and genetic approaches targeting androgen actions in skin have shown that androgens increase interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α production and reduce wound re-epithelization and matrix deposition, retarding cutaneous wound healing. Similarly, clinical studies have shown that cutaneous wound healing is slower in men compared to women.

The addition of respiratory muscle strength training to facilitate swallow and pulmonary rehabilitation following massive tissue loss and severe deconditioning: A case series.

Introduction: Impaired respiratory and swallow function in patients with intensive care unit-acquired deconditioning, such as associated with massive tissue loss, is not uncommon and can require prolonged rehabilitation.

Aim: The aim of the study was to examine the effect of combined inspiratory and expiratory respiratory muscle strength training (RMST) on respiratory and swallow function in two critical care patients with marked deconditioning after massive tissue loss.

Methods: Case 1 was a 19-year-old male patient with 80% body surface area burns; case 2 was a 45-year-old man with group A streptococcus myositis necessitating quadruple amputation.

Effectiveness and safety of ablative fractional CO laser for the treatment of burn scars: A case-control study.

Background: Burn scars are a major clinical challenge. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness and safety of one treatment with the ablative fractional CO laser (AFL-CO) compared to standard burn scar treatment.

Method: From December 2014 to October 2018 patients were prospectively recruited and treatment effects analyzed by assessing various outcome parameters from the date of first consultation and after treatment.

Treatment of Partial Thickness Burns: A Prospective, Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Four Routinely Used Burns Dressings in an Ambulatory Care Setting.

This prospective, randomized controlled trial study compared the effects of four dressings for adult partial thickness burns, focusing on re-epithelialization time and cost effectiveness. Adults with partial thickness burns meeting inclusion criteria were randomized to either Biobrane™, Acticoat™, Mepilex® Ag, or Aquacel® Ag. Primary endpoint for analysis was >95% re-epithelialization.