CHALLENGES OF WOUND COVER IN MAJOR BURNS IN A RESOURCE POOR SETTING: CALABAR EXPERIENCE
OZINKO MBA O *
Department of Surgery, University of Calabar / University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar, Nigeria.
OTEI, OTEI O
Department of Surgery, University of Calabar / University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar, Nigeria.
EKPO RIJAMI G
Department of Surgery, University of Calabar / University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar, Nigeria.
BASSEY GRACE I
Department of Surgery, University of Calabar / University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar, Nigeria.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Burn wounds are common causes of acute injuries with the great consequence of morbidity and mortality in our institution. The incidence of burn wounds is increasing despite the awareness of their causes. We aim at highlighting the challenges we face to achieve burn wound cover in major burn patients whose total body surface area (TBSA) exceeded 40%. Skin substitutes and some modern wound dressing materials are lacking or they are very expensive for the patients to afford. Therefore the coverage of major burn wounds poses a challenge to the burn surgeons in a developing country.
Keywords: Major burns, burns wound cover, challenges of burns wound cover.