Model System:

Burn

Reference Type:

Journal article

Accession No.:

J88355

Journal:

Journal of Applied Physiology

Year, Volume, Issue, Page(s):

, 131, 6, 1852-1866

Publication Website:

Abstract:

Article describes the significant physiological consequences that can persist for years after severe burn injuries. The treatment of deep burns often involves skin grafts to accelerate healing and reduce the risk of infection. The grafting procedure results in a physical disruption between the injured and subsequently debrided host site and the skin graft placed on top of that site. Both neural and vascular connections must occur between the host site and the graft for neural modulation of skin blood flow to take place. Furthermore, evaporative cooling from such burn injured areas is effectively absent, leading to greatly impaired thermoregulatory responses in individuals with large portions of their body surface area burned. Hospitalization following a burn injury can last weeks to months, with cardiovascular and metabolic consequences of such injuries having the potential to adversely affect the burn survivor for years after discharge. This article discusses: (1) the physiology and associated consequences of skin grafting, (2) effects of skin grafts on efferent thermoregulatory responses and the associated consequences, (3) approaches that may reduce the risk of excessive hyperthermia, (4) long-term cardiovascular consequences of burn injuries, and (5) the extent to which burn survivors can “normalize” otherwise compromised cardiovascular responses.

Author(s):

Crandall, Craig G. Cramer, Matthew N. |Kowalske, Karen J.|

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