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Transfer Protocols

The UMMC Mississippi Burn Center follows the referral guidelines of the American Burn Association. Their referral guidelines are posted below, unedited, with their permission.

To initiate a referral, call MED-COM at (601) 984-4367.

Guidelines for Burn Patient Referral
(Advice on Transfer and Consultation)

  • These guidelines are designed to be used to aid in clinical decision making. If you have sustained a burn injury, please seek medical advice from a medical professional.
  • Local and regional infrastructure, resources, and relationships may determine the necessity and timeliness of burn center referral.
  • These guidelines are not meant to be definitive care recommendations. They may facilitate building the proper referral network within the local healthcare community.
Immediate Consultation with Consideration for TransferConsultation Recommendation
Thermal Burns
  • Full thickness burns
  • Partial thickness ≥10% TBSA*
  • Any deep partial or full thickness burns involving the face, hands, genitalia, feet, perineum, or over any joints
  • Patients with burns and other comorbidities
  • Patients with concomitant traumatic injuries
  • Poorly controlled pain
  • Partial thickness burns <10% TBSA* All potentially deep burns of any size
Inhalation Injury
  • All patients with suspected inhalation injury
  • Patients with signs of potential inhalation such as facial flash burns, singed facial hairs, or smoke exposure
Pediatrics (≤14 years, or <30 kg)
  • All pediatric burns may benefit from burn center referral due to pain, dressing change needs, rehabilitation, patient/caregiver needs, or non-accidental trauma
Chemical Injuries
  • All chemical injuries
Electrical Injuries
  • All high voltage (≥1,000V) electrical injuries
  • Lightning injury
  • Low voltage (<1,000V) electrical injuries should receive consultation and consideration for follow-up in a burn center to screen for delayed symptom onset and vision problems

Burn Severity Determination

SUPERFICIAL

  • Dry, red, easily blanching, sometimes painful
  • Example: Sunburn
  • NOT counted in calculations of total burn surface area (TBSA)

SUPERFICIAL PARTIAL THICKNESS

  • Moist, red, blanching, blisters, very painful
  • Counted in calculations of total burn surface area (TBSA)

DEEP PARTIAL THICKNESS

  • Drier, more pale, less blanching, less pain
  • Counted in calculations of total burn surface area (TBSA)

FULL THICKNESS

  • Dry, leathery texture, variable color (white, brown, black), loss of pin prick sensation
  • Counted in calculations of total burn surface area (TBSA)

*Percentage Total Body Surface Area (TBSA)

"RULE OF NINES"

An illustration of two people: one adult, one child, showing the percentage of the total body surface area for each section of the body.

"PALMAR METHOD"

An illustration of the palm, indicating that its surface is equivalent to one percent of the total body surface area.

Patient's entire palmar surface is approximately 1%

For more information visit ameriburn.org/burnreferral

https://academic.oup.com/jbcr/advance-article-abstract/doi/10.1093/jbcr/iraa038/5775361?redirectedFrom=fulltext

Copyright© 2022 American Burn Association. The downloadable PDF of the ABA Guidelines for Burn Patient Referral may be distributed in its original form, in its entirety, without permission provided that attribution is given to the American Burn Association. All requests to edit, repurpose, or reprint require permission by emailing abacentraloffice@ameriburn.org with the details of the request.

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