A third degree burn is a very sever burn that destroys all of the skin's layers down to subcutaneous fat. The area of the burn is usually painless due to the fact that the nerve ending are burned. The area can be black because of charring, or it may also appear brown, white or bright red. Third degree burns require fast medical treatment, and below is a treatment strategy to follow.
Immediate Burn Care
1. Before you even decide to call 911, first evaluate the condition of the burn victim. Make sure that he or she is away from any material that is still burning. Check for a person's pulse and note whether he is breathing. If necessary, administer CPR. Then call 911.
2. In the person with a third degree scald, place a moist bandage to the affected area. For large burns, a sheet will work very well. If a person's feet or hands are affected, separate the fingers and toes with dressing to keep them apart. Make an effort to reduce pressure on the area that has been affected. In order to prevent shock, keep the burned area above the patient's head when this is possible. Place a blanket on the patient to keep warmth in. Continue to monitor the patient's vital signs until the emergency squad arrives.
3. When it has sufficiently cooled down, apply aloe vera gel to the burn. Aloe vera gel is known to have analgesic properties that can help a patient deal with the pain of his burn. Its anti-inflammatory qualities can not only prevent blood restriction, but it can help from causing added pain.
Hospital Care for a Third Degree Burn
In order to provide specialized care for a third degree burn that is life-threatening, hospitals have specialized burn units. If your local hospital has a burn unit, then the patient will be taken there. If not, the patient is taken to the closest hospital that is equipped with one of these units.
Surgeons that have specialized training and experience with burns and trauma operate burn units. A hospital that cares for one who has a third degree scald will give the following treatment: pain medications, IV antibiotics, IV fluids and special creams. The doctor may recommend a humid environment and high protein diet to encourage healing.
Sometimes these burns have to be surgically debrided. This means that a surgeon has to remove the infected and dead tissue by either scraping or cutting. If people have really bad third degree burns, then they may have to have a surgical procedure known as skin grafting.
Skin Grafting
Skin grafting is a procedure where healthy skin is taken from a certain area of the patient's body, and it is used to cover their wound. If a large area of the body happens to be burned, sometimes pigskin may be used particularly if donor skin for this large of an area is not available.
This is basically the treatment for burns that are of a third degree nature. If a person is burned with third degree scalds over 50% of his or her body, recovery is often very slow and sometimes death may ensue.
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