Integumentary System (Clinical Applications) II

What are the four causes of burn injuries?

Thermal, Chemical, Electrical, Radiation.

What is the Rule of Nines?

A tool used to estimate the percentage of total skin surface area burned.

According to the Rule of Nines, what percentage is the head?

9%

According to the Rule of Nines, what percentage is one arm?

9%

According to the Rule of Nines, what percentage is the front of the torso?

18%

According to the Rule of Nines, what percentage is one leg?

18%

What is a 1st Degree burn?

A burn that affects only the epidermis; causes redness and pain but no blisters.

What is a 2nd Degree burn?

A burn that affects the epidermis and part of the dermis; causes redness, pain, blisters, and edema.

What is a 3rd Degree burn?

A burn that destroys the entire epidermis and dermis; appears charred or white; requires skin grafting.

What is a 4th Degree burn?

A burn that extends through the skin into underlying muscle and bone.

What is a primary concern for burn patients related to temperature?

Heat Loss; patients must be kept warm with controlled room temperature, heated blankets, or heat pads.

What is a primary concern for burn patients related to bodily fluids?

Fluid Loss; 3rd degree burns have fluid loss about 5 times the normal level, requiring I.V. saline.

What is the leading cause of death in burn patients?

Sepsis; a dangerous, widespread bacterial infection.

Why might respiratory failure occur in burn patients?

If the burns are due to fire, the patient may have inhaled heat and smoke, damaging the respiration

What is Debridement?

A medical procedure that involves cleaning a wound and removing dead, damaged, or infected tissue to promote healing.

What is Hydrotherapy (Hydro-scrub)?

A treatment that uses warm, pressurized water for wound cleansing, debridement, and to promote healthy tissue formation.

What is the purpose of Pressure Garment Therapy (PGT)?

To result in smoother, less contracted scars after healing from a burn.

What is a risk if Pressure Garment Therapy is stopped?

Scars can become visibly contracted again within weeks after the therapy ceases.

What is Skin Grafting?

A surgical procedure to transplant skin to cover a large wound.

What is an Autograft?

A skin graft taken from the patient's own healthy skin.

What is an Allograft (Heterograft)?

A skin graft taken from a live donor or a cadaver; has potential for tissue rejection.

What is a major risk of an Allograft?

Tissue rejection, which requires the patient to take immunosuppressant drugs.

What statistic is given for people getting skin cancer in their lifetime?

1 in 7 people.

Which type of UV ray has the shortest wavelength and is mostly blocked by the ozone layer?

UVC rays.

Which type of UV ray causes surface burning and signs of aging?

UVB rays.

Which type of UV ray penetrates deeply, releases free radicals, and can cause DNA changes leading to cancer?

UVA rays.

What are some effects of UV-induced skin damage?

Leathery skin, sagging, wrinkles, warty growths, yellowish discoloration, premature aging, and cancer.

What does UV radiation do to fibroblasts and fibers in the dermis?

It damages them, leading to impaired maintenance of the dermis.

How does UV radiation affect DNA?

It causes DNA mutations, which can inhibit DNA/RNA synthesis, hinder mitosis, and lead to cell death.

What is the definition of Skin Cancer?

The uncontrolled growth of abnormal skin cells; often malignant.

What are the three main types of skin cancer?

Basal cell carcinoma, 2. Squamous cell carcinoma, 3. Malignant melanoma.

Which is the most common type of skin cancer?

Basal cell carcinoma.

Where does Basal Cell Carcinoma begin?

In the stratum basale cells; it is slow-growing and rarely spreads (metastasizes).

Where does Squamous Cell Carcinoma develop from?

Squamous cells above the stratum basale.

What is a key characteristic of Squamous Cell Carcinoma?

It forms thick, dark, scaly patches with a reddish base; it can metastasize if untreated.

Which type of skin cancer is the most dangerous and fastest-growing?

Malignant melanoma.

Where does Malignant Melanoma arise from?

Melanocytes in a pre-existing mole, birthmark, or normal skin.

What does the "A" in the ABCD warning signs stand for?

Asymmetry; when one half of a mole does not match the other half.

What does the "B" in the ABCD warning signs stand for?

Border; when the edges of a mole are ragged, notched, or irregular.

What does the "C" in the ABCD warning signs stand for?

Color; when the color is not uniform and may include shades of brown, black, pink, red, white, or blue.

What does the "D" in the ABCD warning signs stand for?

Diameter; when the spot is larger than 6mm across (about the size of a pencil eraser).

What are other warning signs of melanoma beyond ABCD?

Change in sensation (itchiness, tenderness, pain) and change in consistency.