Respiratory care

Advances in the care of patients with major burn injuries have led to reductions in morbidity and mortality, as well as to changes in causes of death. Shock and systemic and wound sepsis initially accounted for the primary causes of deaths. Today, sepsis and inhalation injury, along with their complications, have become the most frequent causes of death in burn patients. Pneumonia continues to be one of the leading complications after burn injury. This chapter describes the respiratory care techniques used in the management of burn patients, as well as the late complications of inhalation injury. The management techniques include bronchial hygiene therapy, pharmacologic treatments, mechanical ventilation strategies, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, and infection control of respiratory equipment.