Burns and the Radiation Contamination Algorithm
- Both thermal and radiation burns may occur in radiation emergencies.
- Thermal burn injury + radiation exposure = combined injury
- Prognosis worse than the same burn injury or exposure alone
- Burn injury + contamination
- Prognosis will depend on the specifics of each case.
- Burn wounds must be decontaminated before definitive burn care is delivered.
- When prioritizing delivery of scarce resources in radiation mass casualty emergencies, it is appropriate to consider prognosis related to
- Extent of trauma
- Extent of external whole body radiation exposure and significant exposure from any internal contamination, e.g., Polonium-210
- Percent body surface area and depth (i.e., degree) of burns
- Pre-existing medical conditions
- Implementation of "Crisis Standards of Care" may be needed in disaster situations.
- The Institute of Medicine has provided extensive guidance.
- Resource limitations may be severe initially, but will improve over time.
- This algorithm and supporting material provide guidelines, not mandates.
- See REMM Burns page for details about thermal burns.
- See REMM Cutaneous Radiation Syndrome page for details.