Browsing by Author "Ebru Abali"

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Electrical Burns: A Special Type of Burn Injury
(Başkent Üniversitesi, 2024-03) Cem Aydogan; Murathan Erkent; Ebru Abali; Abbas Albayati; Afig Gojayev; Adem Safak; Mehmet Haberal
ABSTRACT OBJECTIVES: Electric burn injuries are one of the most devastating types of trauma. Compared with other skin burns, electric burn injuries are more complex and associated with higher morbidity and mortality. The trauma resembles an iceberg; the burn is not only related to skin or deep tissues but has serious systemic hazardous effects to the body, which cause other associated complications. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively examined medical records to review electric burns treated at Baskent University Hospital burn centers across Türkiye between January 2008 and October 2023. We reviewed 361 electric burn injuries. We analyzed patient demographic characteristics, epidemiology of the injury, mechanism of injury, size and depth of burn, treatment methods associated with electrical burns, and complications. RESULTS: Of 361 patients, 88% were male patients, and most damage was caused by high voltage (76%). Many accidents occurred at work (48%) but 19% occurred at home. Many accidents occurred in summer and spring (60%). Mean age, percent total body surface area, hospitalization time, creatine phosphokinase, and myoglobulin were 28.9 years (range, 2-89 y), 21.1%, 25.5 days, 8722 U/L, and 1924 ng/mL, respectively. Percentages of debridement, grafting, fasciotomy, amputation, and flaps were 62.2%, 54.6%, 33.7%, 15.1%, and 14.2%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Public education and governmental legislation are important for preventing work-related accidents. Coexisting traumas have to be considered in this type of injury. Resuscitation is important at the beginning of treatment. Early fasciotomy can prevent limb salvage or can prevent extensive amputations. After resuscitation, early debridement and reconstruction via grafting or flaps are important. Physiotherapy is crucial after reconstruction.
Use of Running Tap Water as an Initial Treatment in Patients With Scald Burns
(Başkent Üniversitesi, 2024-12) Cem Aydogan; Murathan Erkent; Ebru Abali; Afig Gojayev; Abbas Albayat; Mehmet Haberal
OBJECTIVES: First aid methods can be better understood by clinical events than by experimental studies. We retrospectively investigated how clinical outcomes were influenced by type of first aid method. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We reviewed patient medical records from January 2024 through January 2025 in the Baskent University burn center. We included only outpatients with scald burns (N = 340) in our study. All patients were examined and managed by the same 2 staff burn surgeons. We compared data from patients who were admitted on day 1 of injury and later and compared patients treated with and without cold running water. All patients had standard burn wound management. RESULTS: Wound healing time was reduced in patients who received appropriate first aid (cold running water) versus incorrect or no first aid (P < .05), including in all age groups examined (pediatric, adult, and geriatric groups) (P < .05). In patients who received appropriate first aid, numerical pain scores recorded during day 1 follow-up examinations were found to be lower (P < .05). Among patients who presented to the burn center on the first or second day postinjury, healing times were shorter than for those who presented later (P < .05). Patients who received appropriate first aid (vs incorrect or no first aid) had fewer debridement and graft surgery procedures (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Despite its retrospective design, our study emphasized that first aid methods affected clinical outcomes and showed that inappropriate burn wound management in the first 24 hours could negatively affect healing time. Education for prevention of burns and first aid for burns are crucial steps in these accidents. Cooling of wounds reduces further damage, morbidity, and mortality. Effective first aid methods in burns must be easy and fast for practicability.