The treatment available when the patient is burned must take into account the type of burn or the route of therapy may actually contribute to further injury and suffering. Since problems such as infectious diseases are serious concerns of patients, complications accompanying injuries due to burns must also be taken into account in the treatment of burns. Infection after burns can prolong the healing process and increase the nature of the threat of mild burn wounds.
The natural reaction of the body to burn at high temperature is to create a layer of tissue from a burnt skin barrier known as eschar. Although eschar covers the sensitive organization below, it may nevertheless be a serious concern for victims of burns. This tissue is rich in protein and naturally promotes the growth of bacteria and other microorganisms on the surface of the wound. When these microorganisms proliferate and become more dangerous, the wounds can become severely infected, potentially posing a real threat to the patient's life.
Because there is a possibility of being naturally unstable, many doctors remove the tissue of this layer if there is a possibility of hurting the wound before it falls. Surgery may delay burn injury reconstruction efforts, but the benefit of removing the possibility of infection far outweighs the possibility of bacterial infection. This is especially true when the patient's immune system is particularly weak.
As the severity of burns increases, the possibility of infection increases. Considering that the body's immune reactions to areas suffering from severe burns are substantially reduced, those who burn deeply need special care. In addition to severity, the time prior to treatment can play a major role in the onset of infection.
To find out more about how medical malpractice can contribute to wound infection, contact a medical malpractice attorney.
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