Introduction: The duration of endotracheal intubation is thought to be the most important factor in the development of acquired laryngotracheal stenosis (LTS); however, there is a paucity of studies examining the incidence of LTS in the paediatric burn population. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of LTS in paediatric burns patients requiring mechanical ventilation to develop guidelines for consideration of a tracheostomy.
Methods: A retrospective review of all children treated at The Children's Hospital at Westmead (CHW) Burns Unit (BU) from December 2009 to December 2019 who required intubation for their burn injury.
Background: Paediatric burns are preventable injuries that can have a permanent impact on a child's health and wellbeing. The Burns Unit at the Children's Hospital at Westmead appeared to experience an increase in paediatric burn injury referrals during the school holidays. The evaluation of the characteristics of burn injuries in the school holidays compared to the school term may improve the effectiveness of burn prevention programmes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDomestic superglue (cyanoacrylate) in the hands of children can have devastating consequences, especially when cotton clothing is involved. When cotton comes into contact with cyanoacrylate, an intense exothermic reaction occurs, creating temperatures high enough to cause significant thermal injury. A literature review found 16 such cases of burns documented (2 adult and 14 pediatric).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Approximately 1% of the Australian and New Zealand population seeks medical assistance for a burn injury each year, and many patients presenting with burns are children. Minor burns that do not meet referral criteria can be managed by the family general practitioner (GP). If there are any concerns about the injury or progress of the burn wound healing, GPs are encouraged to contact their local burns service for advice.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Acute cholecystitis is a common condition. Recent studies have shown an association between creation of an acute surgical unit (ASU) and improved outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate the outcomes of a subspecialty based approach to the management of acute cholecystitis as an alternative to the traditional 'generalist' general surgery approach or the ASU model.
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