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Review
. 2016 Aug;42(5):1025-1035.
doi: 10.1016/j.burns.2015.11.007. Epub 2016 Jan 17.

Current concepts on burn wound conversion-A review of recent advances in understanding the secondary progressions of burns

Ara A Salibian  1 , Angelica Tan Del Rosario  1 , Lucio De Almeida Moura Severo  1 , Long Nguyen  1 , Derek A Banyard  1 , Jason D Toranto  1 , Gregory R D Evans  1 , Alan D Widgerow  2
Affiliations
Review

Current concepts on burn wound conversion-A review of recent advances in understanding the secondary progressions of burns

Ara A Salibian et al. Burns. 2016 Aug.

Abstract

Burn wound conversion describes the process by which superficial partial thickness burns convert into deeper burns necessitating surgical intervention. Fully understanding and thus controlling this phenomenon continues to defy burn surgeons. However, potentially guiding burn wound progression so as to obviate the need for surgery while still bringing about healing with limited scarring is the major unmet challenge. Comprehending the pathophysiologic background contributing to deeper progression of these burns is an essential prerequisite to planning any intervention. In this study, a review of articles examining burn wound progression over the last five years was conducted to analyze trends in recent burn progression research, determine changes in understanding of the pathogenesis of burn conversion, and subsequently examine the direction for future research in developing therapies. The majority of recent research focuses on applying therapies from other disease processes to common underlying pathogenic mechanisms in burn conversion. While ischemia, inflammation, and free oxygen radicals continue to demonstrate a critical role in secondary necrosis, novel mechanisms such as autophagy have also been shown to contribute affect significantly burn progression significantly. Further research will have to determine whether multiple mechanisms should be targeted when developing clinical therapies.

Keywords: Autophagy; Burn wound conversion; Secondary burn progression.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Categorization of studies on burn wound conversion from 2010 – 2014 according to particular pathogenic mechanism examined. ROS, Reactive oxygen species. *One article also addressed ischemia, and another, ROS. **Two articles also addressed inflammation. †Other category includes studies on wound debridement/excision, hyperbaric oxygen treatment, and stem cell therapies.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Number of studies addressing pathogenesis (4) versus therapy (19). One study analyzed diagnostic methods for burn wound conversion.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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