Challenges in Burn Care during the COVID-19 Pandemic—A Scoping Review
<b><i>Objective:</i></b> The aim of this review is to map and summarize the experiences of various burn centers worldwide during the COVID-19 pandemic, in order to enable future strategies with regard to the most effective measures in burn care during pandemics and to detect...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-06-01
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| Series: | Journal of Clinical Medicine |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/11/12/3410 |
| _version_ | 1797486065471193088 |
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| author | Michael Kohlhauser Hanna Luze Sebastian Philipp Nischwitz Lars-Peter Kamolz |
| author_facet | Michael Kohlhauser Hanna Luze Sebastian Philipp Nischwitz Lars-Peter Kamolz |
| author_sort | Michael Kohlhauser |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <b><i>Objective:</i></b> The aim of this review is to map and summarize the experiences of various burn centers worldwide during the COVID-19 pandemic, in order to enable future strategies with regard to the most effective measures in burn care during pandemics and to detect possible gaps in knowledge. <b><i>Background:</i></b> The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic had a major impact on economies, social interactions, and health systems worldwide. Burn units all over the world face a new challenge in maintaining the care of acute burn wounds and follow-up treatments while dealing with constantly changing regulations. Infrastructural changes, the establishment of efficient triage systems, protective measures, personnel resources, in addition to the maintenance of efficient patient care and the guarantee of supply chains, are challenging tasks to be addressed. This review provides an overview of recent developments regarding different strategies and methods used by burn units worldwide to safely overcome the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> A scoping review of the literature was conducted using the electronic databases PubMed and Google Scholar. Publications were screened for the following key terms: burns, burn injuries, thermal injuries, burn center, burn unit, burn ward, in combination with COVID-19, COVID-19 pandemic, SARS-CoV-2, Corona, and Coronavirus. Articles dealing with the management of burn units during the pandemic were further analyzed and included. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Of the 136 publications, 10 were considered relevant to the key question and were included in the present review. Results were divided into six major topics, such as infrastructural and personnel management, triaging, severe burns and emergencies, elective surgeries, patient and visitor management, and outpatient management. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> Only a few studies about managing burn units during the COVID-19 pandemic have been published. Personnel resources and equipment needed to be redistributed to cope with country-specific challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic and to maintain adequate burn care. Since all of these articles refer to the period of the initial outbreak, a lack of clinical studies exists regarding the prevention measures taken by burn units during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, we identified gaps in knowledge about the impact of implemented measures on burn patient outcomes in the published literature. Further studies are mandatory in order to provide generally applicable guidelines regarding COVID-19 prevention measures at a burn unit. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T23:27:52Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ff238673b1f145f8883fad66d4a46b10 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-0383 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T23:27:52Z |
| publishDate | 2022-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Clinical Medicine |
| spelling | doaj.art-ff238673b1f145f8883fad66d4a46b102023-11-23T17:15:31ZengMDPI AGJournal of Clinical Medicine2077-03832022-06-011112341010.3390/jcm11123410Challenges in Burn Care during the COVID-19 Pandemic—A Scoping ReviewMichael Kohlhauser0Hanna Luze1Sebastian Philipp Nischwitz2Lars-Peter Kamolz3Division of Plastic, Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Medical University of Graz, 8036 Graz, AustriaDivision of Plastic, Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Medical University of Graz, 8036 Graz, AustriaDivision of Plastic, Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Medical University of Graz, 8036 Graz, AustriaDivision of Plastic, Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Medical University of Graz, 8036 Graz, Austria<b><i>Objective:</i></b> The aim of this review is to map and summarize the experiences of various burn centers worldwide during the COVID-19 pandemic, in order to enable future strategies with regard to the most effective measures in burn care during pandemics and to detect possible gaps in knowledge. <b><i>Background:</i></b> The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic had a major impact on economies, social interactions, and health systems worldwide. Burn units all over the world face a new challenge in maintaining the care of acute burn wounds and follow-up treatments while dealing with constantly changing regulations. Infrastructural changes, the establishment of efficient triage systems, protective measures, personnel resources, in addition to the maintenance of efficient patient care and the guarantee of supply chains, are challenging tasks to be addressed. This review provides an overview of recent developments regarding different strategies and methods used by burn units worldwide to safely overcome the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> A scoping review of the literature was conducted using the electronic databases PubMed and Google Scholar. Publications were screened for the following key terms: burns, burn injuries, thermal injuries, burn center, burn unit, burn ward, in combination with COVID-19, COVID-19 pandemic, SARS-CoV-2, Corona, and Coronavirus. Articles dealing with the management of burn units during the pandemic were further analyzed and included. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Of the 136 publications, 10 were considered relevant to the key question and were included in the present review. Results were divided into six major topics, such as infrastructural and personnel management, triaging, severe burns and emergencies, elective surgeries, patient and visitor management, and outpatient management. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> Only a few studies about managing burn units during the COVID-19 pandemic have been published. Personnel resources and equipment needed to be redistributed to cope with country-specific challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic and to maintain adequate burn care. Since all of these articles refer to the period of the initial outbreak, a lack of clinical studies exists regarding the prevention measures taken by burn units during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, we identified gaps in knowledge about the impact of implemented measures on burn patient outcomes in the published literature. Further studies are mandatory in order to provide generally applicable guidelines regarding COVID-19 prevention measures at a burn unit.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/11/12/3410COVID-19SARS-CoV-2burnsburn unitsburn careemergency surgery |
| spellingShingle | Michael Kohlhauser Hanna Luze Sebastian Philipp Nischwitz Lars-Peter Kamolz Challenges in Burn Care during the COVID-19 Pandemic—A Scoping Review Journal of Clinical Medicine COVID-19 SARS-CoV-2 burns burn units burn care emergency surgery |
| title | Challenges in Burn Care during the COVID-19 Pandemic—A Scoping Review |
| title_full | Challenges in Burn Care during the COVID-19 Pandemic—A Scoping Review |
| title_fullStr | Challenges in Burn Care during the COVID-19 Pandemic—A Scoping Review |
| title_full_unstemmed | Challenges in Burn Care during the COVID-19 Pandemic—A Scoping Review |
| title_short | Challenges in Burn Care during the COVID-19 Pandemic—A Scoping Review |
| title_sort | challenges in burn care during the covid 19 pandemic a scoping review |
| topic | COVID-19 SARS-CoV-2 burns burn units burn care emergency surgery |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/11/12/3410 |
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