A 62-year-old woman has just arrived by ambulance to your burns centre emergency department and you have been called to assist as part of the trauma team. She was caught in a house fire where she was trapped indoors for ten minutes before firefighters were able to free her. Forty-five minutes have lapsed since rescue.
Past medical history:
Smoking 40 pack-year history
Mechanical mitral valve replacement
Chronic kidney disease
Medications:
warfarin 5 mg daily
Examination findings:
Approximate weight 70 kg
SpO2 99% (oxygen via Hudson mask at 10 L/min)
HR 120 bpm (sinus rhythm)
BP 100/70 mmHg
RR 21/min, shallow breathing and coughing intermittently
Chest auscultation: mild diffuse wheeze.
Her burn injuries have been documented by the paramedic in the diagram (hashed areas). The burnt skin is a blotchy red or dark pink colour and has large blisters. Capillary refill is sluggish (> 2 seconds) and there is loss of sensation in some areas.
She is confused about the events, visibly distressed and in pain. She has been administered 10 mg of morphine intravenously.
Sections covered in this viva
Immediate Assessment and Management of Major BurnsFirst Major Debridement PlanningWard-Based Dressing Changes Analgesia