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Types
1. Ordinary Burns caused by Dry Heat with fire, open flame, hot metal, war injuries etc.
2. Scalds caused by moist heat like steam or hot meals or hot liquid.
3. Electric Burns caused by
a. Low Voltage Electric Burns which causes direct injury to the tissues at the point of contact while the beneath bones and muscles may be damaged.
b. High Voltage Electric Burns causes direct injury at the point of contact but also causes damages tissues underneath and conducts the electricity through the body. It causes damage at the site of the entry and site of exit and at the path through which it travels. The damage depends upon the amount of electric current passing, the resistance offered by the tissues wherein the skin offers the maximum resistance while the muscles, blood vessels and the nerves are the least resistant. The damage increases if the tissue is wet.
4. Chemical Burns caused by contact with strong acid or strong base. The severity of burns depends upon the concentration of the agent, the duration of contact and the amount of agent.
5. Radiation Burns caused by X-Rays or Radium. It is type of Inflammation of Skin which is regarded as Burns. Two types: a) Acute Radiodermatitis which can cause usual changes of acute inflammation like erythema, oedema and exfoliation. It can also cause necrosis and deep indolent ulcer. b) Chronic Radiodermatitis occurs when Acute radiodermatitis has occurred previously or when small doses of Radiation is given for a long time. It can cause irregular pigmentation or depigmentation, telangieactases and indolent ulcers. It can also grow into Cancer.
6. Cold Burns caused by exposure to cold which includes freezing injuries (frostbite which is actual freezing of tissues with formation of ice crystals. It can cause tissue necrosis, microvascular occlusion, cellular dehydration, hyperaemia and oedema of skin) or non freezing injuries e.g. chilblain which is painful erythema in fingers, toes or ears produces by cold damp weather, Trench Foot which is found in mainly soldiers due to cold weather and circulatory disturbances caused by tight clothing, Immersion foot which is like trench foot found in waterlogged boats. | |