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Background: Postoperative pain at skin graft donor sites is frequently undertreated in burn patients, which can impair reconstructive outcomes and result in harmful psychological consequences. We find a critical need to explore and promote non-opioid, multimodal analgesics. Donor site infiltration of the local anesthetic liposomal bupivacaine in adolescent and young adult burn patients has not been previously investigated. Therefore, the goal of this study was to evaluate intraoperative liposomal bupivacaine infiltration for postoperative donor site pain control in adolescent and young adult burn patients undergoing reconstructive skin graft procedures., Methods: This retrospective analysis included patients aged 14-25 years, who underwent at least two reconstructive skin graft procedures, one that received donor site infiltration of the standard treatment (bupivacaine hydrochloride) and one that received donor site infiltration of liposomal bupivacaine. The final sample included 30 patients with a total of 44 liposomal bupivacaine cases and 53 standard treatment cases analyzed., Results: In the authors' five-year experience, the use of liposomal bupivacaine compared to standard treatment was associated with statistically significant decreases in 0-4 h postoperative pain scores (mean 1.4/10 versus 2.3/10, p = 0.04) and 0-24 h postoperative pain scores (mean 1.7/10 versus 2.4/10, p = 0.02). Neither analgesic was associated with adverse events. Differences in length of stay and inpatient postoperative opioid usage were not regarded as significant., Conclusion: In this retrospective analysis, the authors report the first results that suggest intraoperative liposomal bupivacaine donor site infiltration may be associated with statistically improved patient outcomes in adolescent and young adult burn patients. However, the reported differences are most likely not clinically significant, establishing the necessity for further evaluation of using liposomal bupivacaine in this unique patient population., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The objective of this work was to describe an efficient and sustainable outreach model in a resource-constrained environment, with a multifaceted approach focusing on national policy change, telemedicine, injury prevention, education and treatment of burns., Summary Background Data: Burn injury constitutes a significant portion of morbidity and mortality worldwide, particularly in children, and in low- and middle-income countries., Methods: We reviewed the impact of ten-years of a burn outreach program. Our focus was on clinical data on burn care within one region of Ukraine. We assessed knowledge of burn prevention/first aid utilizing a large survey, analyzed clinical data from our outreach clinic and telemedicine program, and analyzed data within a newly created burn repository within Ukraine., Results: A national burn prevention policy has been implemented through our efforts along with a burn prevention program. Educational efforts have led to improvements of major complication rates (wound infection [7% vs. 16%], pneumonia [2.4% vs. 0.3%], sepsis [1.6% vs. 0.6%], UTI [2% vs. 0.6%], and cellulitis [11% vs. 3.4%]), respiratory support of acutely ill patients [1.3% vs. 0.4%], and blood transfusion triggers., Conclusions: Broadly, our model could be an example of building sustainable outreach programs in resource-constrained environments. Through collaboration with local healthcare providers, we have developed and implemented an outreach program in a resource-constrained environment., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Post-operative pain can significantly affect a patient's ability to recover following surgery. In this study we introduced the concept of post-operative pain evaluation of burn patients as well as a technique for placement and use of subcutaneous catheters for continuous infusion of local anesthetic to provide analgesia following skin harvest from the lateral thigh in a hospital in resource-restricted country--Ukraine., Methods: A total of 109 patients were enrolled in this study. In the control group 64 patients received the standard post-operative pain regimen of metamizole 1 g and/or ketorolac 3%- 30 mg at the discretion of the nursing staff. In the interventional group, 45 patients received the catheter infusion of local anesthetic by elastomeric pump which was placed intraoperatively; it continuously delivers a regulated flow 4-5 ml/h of procaine 0.5% for 48 h to a patient's surgical donor site with the standard pain regimen available for breakthrough pain. All patients were assessed post-operatively and in the peri-dressing change period by the nursing staff. Blood pressure, heart rate, and pain scores were documented based on the Wong-Baker Faces Pain Rating Scale. All data were analyzed using SAS version 9.3. The Student's t test and Fisher's exact test were used to assess differences between groups for continuous variables. The Mann-Whitney U Test was used to examine differences in pain scores between groups. A p value of <0.05 was considered significant., Results: The median pain score immediately following surgery was 5.0 in the control group, which was significantly greater (p=0.03) than median pain score of 4.0 for the patients receiving continuous infusion of procaine. However, there is no statistically significant difference in the median pain score (3.0 and 3.0) after the initial dressing change (p=0.73)., Conclusions: Our Ukrainian colleagues now have a method of objective pain assessment and a new technique in pain management. With assessment linked to intervention, improvement in post-operative pain can be expected., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.)

Background: Burns are a challenge for trauma care and a contribution to the surgical burden. The former Soviet republic of Ukraine has a foundation for burn care; however data concerning burns in Ukraine has historically been scant. The objective of this paper was to compare a new burn database to identify problems and implement improvements in burn care and prevention in this country., Methods: Retrospective analyses of demographic and clinical data of burn patients including Tukey's post hoc test, analysis of variance, and chi square analyses, and Fisher's exact test were used. Data were compared to the American Burn Association (ABA) burn repository., Results: This study included 1752 thermally injured patients treated in 20 hospitals including Specialized Burn Unit in Municipal Hospital #8 Lviv, Lviv province in Ukraine. Scald burns were the primary etiology of burns injuries (70%) and burns were more common among children less than five years of age (34%). Length of stay, mechanical ventilation use, infection rates, and morbidity increased with greater burn size. Mortality was significantly related to burn size, inhalation injury, age, and length of stay. Wound infections were associated with burn size and older age. Compared to ABA data, Ukrainian patients had double the length of stay and a higher rate of wound infections (16% vs. 2.4%)., Conclusion: We created one of the first burn databases from a region of the former Soviet Union in an effort to bring attention to burn injury and improve burn care., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.)

Studies have demonstrated deceleration in both weight and height following burns in children. It is expected patients will display catch up growth and return to normal weight within three years but continued height deficiency may remain in cases of severe burns. We describe a case of severe growth retardation of 8 years old orphan child from Ukraine who suffered of burn less than 40% of total body surface area when he was a 3 years of life. His case was complicated by domestic abuse, neglect and limited medical care. He initially presented to the United States for surgical care of his contractures but his treatment quickly focused on his profound growth retardation. Despite aggressive nutritional supplementation and evaluation he did not demonstrate any weight gain., (Published by Elsevier Ltd.)